Reba McEntire to Honor Dolly Parton With Tribute at 2026 Emmy Awards

The 2026 Emmy Awards are shaping up to be one of the most emotionally charged ceremonies in recent memory — and a whole lot of country soul is about to fill the Peacock Theater. Reba McEntire is set to perform a live musical tribute to [Dolly Parton](/ article/america-s-got-talent-pauses-to-honor-dolly-parton-after-her-death-at-80), the Queen of Country Music, who passed away last month at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer.

A Stage Full of Heart

According to The Hollywood Reporter, McEntire — herself a Grammy-winning country legend and no stranger to big stages — has been tapped to perform one of Parton's songs during Monday night's telecast. The choice feels almost inevitable: two titans of Nashville royalty, one carrying the torch for the other in front of millions of viewers. It's the kind of moment that stops a room cold, and McEntire, with her powerhouse voice and decades of friendship with Parton woven into country music history, is precisely the right artist to deliver it.

Parton's death sent shockwaves through the entertainment world. [Fans and fellow artists alike poured out tributes](/ article/beyonce-calls-dolly-parton-the-north-star-in-emotional-tribute) in the weeks following the news, reflecting on a career that stretched across generations, genres, and countless lives touched by her music, her philanthropy, and her singular warmth. Having McEntire bring that legacy to the Emmy stage ensures the television community gets its own moment to grieve, celebrate, and remember.

An Evening Packed With Milestones

The Dolly tribute is far from the only emotional beat planned for the night. Noah Kahan is set to perform during the In Memoriam segment, adding another layer of reflection to what promises to be a deeply felt ceremony. The telecast will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer — with David Boreanaz and Sarah Michelle Gellar on hand — and the 50th anniversary of Charlie's Angels, featuring original angels Kate Jackson, Cheryl Ladd, and Jaclyn Smith.

On the competitive side, HBO Max's The Pitt leads all nominees with an impressive 25 nods, with Hacks close behind at 24. Apple TV+'s Widow's Bay (19 nominations) and Pluribus (18), Netflix's Beef (16), HBO Max's DTF St. Louis (13), and both Saturday Night Live and Spider-Noir rounding out the pack at 11 nominations each.

A Knicks Fan, a Point Guard, and a Very Cagey Host

In a lighter twist, New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is reportedly expected to make a guest appearance in a pre-taped segment at the top of the show. The connection? Emmy host Mariska Hargitay is a well-known Knicks superfan, frequently spotted courtside at Madison Square Garden. When pressed on whether Brunson would show up, Hargitay played it cool — and a little playful — hinting at the kind of last-second drama only a true basketball devotee would reference.

Saying Goodbye to a Legend

For many viewers, though, Monday night will really be about Dolly. Her death closed a chapter in American music that felt, in some ways, eternal. [She had been sharing health updates in the months prior](/ article/dolly-parton-shares-health-update-after-missing-dollywood-event), and the news of her passing still landed like a gut punch to a world that had taken her reassuring presence for granted. [She had even planned ahead with characteristic grace](/ article/dolly-parton-planned-her-funeral-song-left-a-secret-track-for-2046), reportedly leaving a secret track sealed until 2046.

With Reba McEntire's voice rising in that theater, the 78th Emmy Awards will offer television's most fitting farewell yet to one of the greatest artists this country ever produced.

The ceremony airs live Monday, September 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock.

Related on Ni4o: Dolly Parton Brings Her Life Story to Broadway This December · Dolly Parton’s Brother Coy ‘Denver’ Parton Passes Away at 82 · Dolly Parton Shares Health Update After Missing Dollywood Event