The late Dolly Parton has been remembered by the music industry at the star-studded MTV VMAs, with fans hailing the tribute as ‘moving’.
Parton, known for hits including 9 to 5, Jolene and Here You Come Again, died last month aged 80 after a cancer diagnosis.
In her first performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, country singer Kacey Musgraves honoured the late icon with a heart-tugging performance of her hit song I Will Always Love You.
The tribute started with footage of Parton introducing the 1974 hit, which was written by the late star, but later popularised by Whitney Houston.
In the clip, Parton is heard saying: ‘I’d like to leave you fellas with a little bit of advice. Don’t criticise your wife’s judgment. You just remember who she married. Just kidding you.
‘There’s a lot of truth in that and I would also like to say about life, I hope it treats you real kind and I hope that you have all that you ever dreamed of.’
Musgraves then performed the song accompanied by only a piano, with footage of Parton in the background.
The Mexico Honey singer, 38, has previously cited Parton as one of her biggest inspirations, and was left devastated over her sudden death.
She said at one of her recent shows after her death: ‘I’m not over it, and I’m never gonna be over it. The world definitely lost a light, and it’s hard for me to talk about.’
Fans hailed the performance as a ‘beautiful tribute’, with @joyverse8 writing: ‘the Dolly Parton tribute… so many goosebumps… THE TEARS.’
While @BpDaniel97 added: ‘Alright that Dolly Parton tribute got me.’
Elsewhere at the awards ceremony, Taylor Swift dedicated her award to Parton, who she described as the ‘ultimate showgirl’, after she became the most decorated artist in the history of the VMAs.
‘I want to thank and dedicate this award to one person without whom this wouldn’t be happening, and that person is the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton,’ Swift, 36, told the audience.
‘Every single song that she wrote, her storytelling was so vivid and so rich. Listening to her songs, it’s like watching the best music video you have ever seen in your life, every single time you hear what she’s written.
‘And she handled this thing with such grace and joy and love and gratitude for the fact that she got to do this, and everything that happened in her life or her career, she channeled back into love and gratitude and appreciation for her fans,’ she continued.
Concluding her speech, Swift added: ‘I am lucky I got to be one of them, and I will always be one of them. I think that we were all very lucky to share this planet with Dolly Parton for a time. And thank you for this amazing moment, I love you all.’
Swift, who was previously tied with Beyonce on 30 VMA gongs, took home the night’s top award for The Fate of Ophelia.
She also received the first award for artist director and best direction for Opalite.