Dolly Parton will be the 2016 recipient of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor will be presented during The 50th Annual CMA Awards, airing Wednesday, Nov. 2 (8 p.m./ET) on the ABC Television Network live from Nashville.
The announcement was made Monday during Parton’s appearance on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live.
“Dolly epitomizes the very definition of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “She is a trailblazer who continues to enchant and captivate fans around the world, from her latest No. 1 album, to her sold-out tour, and numerous television projects. She is a treasure and deserving of this industry acclaim for her undeniable contributions to the success of country music, today.”
The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award is for an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in country music. The award was established to recognize an artist who has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, record sales, and public representation at the highest level. The artist receiving this award has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre throughout a course of years that have proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on fans and industry alike.
Previous recipients of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award include Willie Nelson (2012), Kenny Rogers (2013), and Johnny Cash (2015).
Parton has received 44 CMA Awards nominations and has won nine times including Entertainer (1978) and Female Vocalist of the Year (1975, 1976). In 1996, she and Vince Gill won Musical Event of the Year for “I Will Always Love You,” which is heavily featured in CMA’s hugely popular “Forever Country” single and music video project celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the CMA Awards
