CNN Apologizes for Using Photo of Tribute Artist in Dolly Parton Report
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CNN apologised after mistakenly showing a photograph of Las Vegas tribute artist Kelly Vohnn during coverage of Dolly Parton’s reported death. The error, shown in a montage on Laura Coates Live, prompted criticism over editorial checks during high-profile breaking-news coverage and caused distress to both Parton’s family and the performer.
The image appeared about 12 hours after Parton’s death was announced, amid extensive coverage featuring photographs from her long career. Vohnn, 58, said friends alerted her to the broadcast and stressed that she has never claimed to be Parton; CNN said it regretted the mistake and apologised to the Parton family.
- CNN used a tribute artist’s image in Dolly Parton death coverage.
- The network apologised to Parton’s family.
- Kelly Vohnn urged stronger journalistic checks.
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Dolly Parton is a US country singer, songwriter and actor whose long career has made her one of the best-known figures in popular music. Her public image is widely recognised, so photographs used in reports about her can carry particular weight.
A tribute artist is a performer who recreates the music, appearance or stage style of a famous person for shows and events. In fast-moving television coverage, broadcasters often use archive images and outside sources, making accurate identification and editorial checking important.
Full account
CNN has apologised after a photograph of Las Vegas tribute performer Kelly Vohnn was included in a televised montage about Dolly Parton’s death. The image appeared during Tuesday night’s edition of Laura Coates Live, while CNN was reporting from Nashville following the announcement that Parton had died aged 80 after a short illness with cancer.
A CNN spokesperson said the network regretted the mistake and apologised to Parton’s family. The photograph was reportedly taken at a Las Vegas red-carpet event for Song Sung Blue, a film connected to the story of a Neil Diamond tribute act. Vohnn was among several impersonators attending the event.
Vohnn said friends alerted her after seeing her image on CNN. She described the experience as upsetting and embarrassing, particularly as she was mourning Parton herself. She said there were many genuine photographs from Parton’s long career that could have been used instead.
In a video and social-media statement, Vohnn stressed that she had not authorised anyone to present her likeness as if she were Parton. She said audiences who attend her shows know she is a tribute artist, and called on news organisations to exercise greater care in verifying images before broadcast. The incident has drawn attention to the risk of misidentification in fast-moving coverage of major public figures’ deaths.
Where outlets differ
The Hollywood Reporter gives the most detailed account of Vohnn’s reaction and says the New York Post first reported the error; it also describes the montage as appearing about 12 hours after Parton’s death was announced.
Fox News focuses more heavily on the scale of public reaction to Parton’s death and characterises Vohnn’s response as embarrassment, while identifying the film’s connection to the real-life Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder.
Deadline foregrounds Vohnn’s video statement and her insistence that she would never claim to be Parton; it also adds that Parton had experienced health problems during the previous year.