Country star Reba McEntire will lead a tribute to Dolly Parton at the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday 14 September 2026, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Parton, widely regarded as the Queen of Appalachia, died in late August, and the tribute marks a high-profile moment of remembrance for one of country music's most beloved figures during television's biggest night.

The ceremony airs on NBC at 8pm ET, with Peacock also streaming the broadcast, and reports suggest McEntire will perform one of Parton's songs, though the exact choice remains unconfirmed. The pair shared a decades-long friendship, having collaborated on tracks such as "Does He Love You" and performed together on television, which McEntire honoured in an emotional Instagram tribute following Parton's death, signing off with a nod to Parton's classic "I Will Always Love You".