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Kacey Musgraves, Katy Perry, Little Big Town and More Honor Dolly Parton

Parton Named MusiCares Person of the Year

Dolly Parton got a Grammy show all her own when she was named MusiCares’ Person of the Year on Friday (Feb. 8) in Los Angeles.

As the first country artist to receive the award, Parton was honored for her continued philanthropy and support for a number of causes through the Dollywood Foundation and the Imagination Library, the latter of which has provided more than 100 million books to children in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the U.K.

In 2016, her Smoky Mountains Rise telethon raised more than $13 million for her My People Fund, which provided financial assistance to those affected by devastating wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

Friday’s Little Big Town-hosted gala raised $6.7 million for MusiCares’ mission to support music professionals in times of financial, medical and personal crisis.

Parton received her award from surprise guests and Trio bandmates Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt.

VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images

US singer-songwriter and 2019 MusiCares Person Of The Year Dolly Parton (R) hugs US singer Linda Ronstadt next to US singer Emmylour Harris (L) as she accepts her award onstage at the 2019 MusiCares Person Of The Year gala at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles on February 8, 2019. - The 2019 MusiCares honor US singer-songwriter Dolly Parton as the Person Of The Year. (Photo by Valerie MACON / AFP) (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)

“I have been in music for a long time, but it has been in me a lot longer,” Parton said. “I used to stand out on the porch, my Tennessee mountain home, put a tobacco stick down in the crack of the floor, put a tin can on top of it, and pretend that I was singing on the Grand Ole Opry.

“It was my dream, and it was a long, long way from the hills of Tennessee to the Hollywood hills, but it has been a wonderful journey.”

The night was highlighted by all-star collaborations between Willie Nelson and Brandi Carlile (“It’s All Wrong, But It’s All Right); Miley Cyrus and Shawn Mendes (“Islands in the Stream”); Don Henley and Vince Gill (“Eagle When She Flies”); Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood (“Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You”); Mavis Staples, Leon Bridges and Jon Batiste (“Not Enough”); Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves (“Here You Come Again”); and Cam, Jennifer Nettles and Margo Price (“Do I Ever Cross Your Mind”).

Additional highlights from the night included tribute performances by P!nk, Chris Stapleton, Yolanda Adams, Lauren Daigle and Norah Jones with Puss N Boots.

Parton shared the finale with Linda Perry performing “Coat of Many Colors.”

CMT Hot 20 Countdown was on the red carpet capturing all the action for an upcoming episode.

The night was one of three major country-focused events during Grammy week in Los Angeles including the Producers and Engineers Wing salute to Nelson and Americana Music Association’s concert tribute to John Prine.

Enjoy scenes from Parton's MusiCares salute:

Dolly Parton and Linda Perry

VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images

Willie Nelson and Brandi Carlile

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Willie Nelson (L) and Brandi Carlile perform onstage during MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Dolly Parton at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 8, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Chris Stapleton

Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Chris Stapleton performs onstage during MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Dolly Parton at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 8, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks

VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images

Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves

VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images

US singer Katy Perry (L) and US singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves perform onstage at the 2019 MusiCares Person Of The Year gala at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles on February 8, 2019. - The 2019 MusiCares honor US singer-songwriter Dolly Parton as the Person Of The Year. (Photo by Valerie MACON / AFP) (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)

Miley Cyrus and Shawn Mendes

VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images

Mavis Staples

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Mavis Staples and Leon Bridges

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

P!nk

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: P!nk performs onstage during MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Dolly Parton at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 8, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

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