Dolly Parton has been selected as the 2016 recipient of the CMA’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dolly learned of the honor on Monday night while guesting on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel show. The award, which was first given in 2012, is to “honor an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music (that) achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, record sales, and public representation at the highest level”, along with the clause that the artist “must have positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre over time”.
Parton is the first woman to be honored and only the fourth artist overall. Willie Nelson was given the inaugural award in 2012 followed by Kenny Rogers in 2013 and Johnny Cash in 2015.
CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said “Dolly epitomizes the very definition of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. he is a trailblazer who continues to enchant and captivate fans around the world. She is a treasure and deserving of this industry acclaim for her undeniable contributions to the success of country music today.”
Look for the CMA Awards on November 2 at 8 PM on ABC.
