Kacey Musgraves Shares the Surprising Habit She Was Willing To Give up for Dolly Parton

Kacey Musgraves recalled meeting Dolly Parton, saying the country star was warm, funny and professional. Musgraves joked that she is usually poor at keeping to time, but was determined to arrive punctually for Parton.

Musgraves described Parton as “American royalty” and a rare figure who connected people across different worlds. She said the response to Parton’s death reflected a shared sense of grief and a longing for a unifying public figure. Musgraves is due to take part in a special tribute at the 2026 CMA Awards on 18 November.