Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 20

19th ACM Honors Celebrates Dolly Parton, Kacey Musgraves and Eric Church in Nashville

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 20

19th ACM Honors Celebrates Dolly Parton, Kacey Musgraves and Eric Church in Nashville

Q: Which unexpected artists teamed up to deliver show-stopping tribute performances at the 19th ACM Honors?

The standout “unexpected” pairings at the 19th ACM Honors were Carly Pearce and Parker McCollum, who opened the show with a Dolly Parton tribute, singing “Islands in the Stream,” and Pearce later joining Kaitlin Butts and Carter Faith for Parton’s “9 to 5.” Other notable tribute performances included Sheryl Crow honoring Eric Church with “Drink in My Hand,” Carter Faith saluting Kacey Musgraves with “Merry Go ’Round,” Dierks Bentley paying tribute to Brett James with “I Hold On,” and Trisha Yearwood performing “Every Girl In This Town” for Leslie Fram. Together, those cross-artist collaborations and tribute choices gave the Nashville ceremony its most memorable performance moments.

Q: What surprising secret did Dolly Parton reveal about the therapeutic power of her legendary songwriting?

Dolly Parton said the real “secret” is that songwriting has been her therapy all along — so much so that she never felt she needed a therapist. In remarks tied to her ACM Poet’s Award honor, Parton described songwriting as her “release” and her “joy,” saying it helped her process life’s emotions and gave her a way to turn experience into words and music. In a related reflection, she was even more explicit: “I never had to go to a therapist because that’s my therapy. My guitar is my therapy too.” That revelation fits with how Parton has long described her creative life. She has said songwriting is the core of everything she does, calling herself a “songteller” because she uses songs to tell stories and work through sorrow, love and everyday life. At the ACM Honors, where she was celebrated for her songwriting legacy, she emphasized that the songs were not just a career foundation but also a personal healing tool.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 20

The 19th ACM Honors took over The Pinnacle in Nashville on Wednesday night, recognizing Dolly Parton, Kacey Musgraves, Eric Church and other country music figures for their contributions.
Academy of Country Music staged the event to honor artists, songwriters and industry executives, with Carly Pearce and Parker McCollum serving as hosts.
Sheryl Crow, Dierks Bentley, Megan Moroney and Trisha Yearwood performed during the ceremony, while Pearce and McCollum joined for a special tribute to Parton.
Pearce also told Fox News Digital she needed a journey of self-discovery to write the album she wanted, adding a personal note to the Nashville celebration.