Dolly Parton is set to receive some poetic justice from the Academy of Country Music. The superstar will accept the ACM Poet’s Award at the 19th annual ACM Honors in recognition of her "lasting impact as one of country music’s most influential songwriters."
The ACM Honors ceremony is a separate entity from the annual ACM Awards, with different categories and a focus on industry achievement. This year's event will be held in Nashville on Aug. 19, and it will feature a special tribute to Parton.
The 13-time ACM Award winner (and three-time ACM Awards host) is being celebrated for "shaping the country music genre with exceptional lyrical and musical contributions." Roughly 70 years after her first TV and radio appearance on Knoxville's Cas Walker
Show, Parton has penned some of the most enduring songs in the format's history. They include iconic hits like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” plus ACM Song of the Year nominated favorites like “9 to 5” and “When I Get Where I’m Going.” So far, 25 of her singles have reached No. 1 on Billboard's country charts. The Country Music Hall of Fame member will deliver an acceptance speech through a video message.
Joining Parton as fellow 2026 ACM Poet’s Award winners are The Carter Family and Brett James, who will both be honored posthumously. James, the songwriter behind modern classics like Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and Kenny Chesney's "When the Sun Goes Down" (featuring Uncle Kracker), died in a 2025 plane crash in North Carolina.
Other honorees that night will include Bill Anderson and Mike Curb (ACM Icon Award), Kacey Musgraves (ACM Spirit Award), Scott Zolke (ACM Service Award), Eric Church (ACM Lifting Lives Award) and Leslie Fram (ACM Lift Every Voice Award). The C2C: Country to Country music festival will be honored with the ACM International Award, and "Landman" will be honored with the ACM Film Award.
Previously announced winners include ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year Ella Langley and Songwriter of the Year Jessie Jo Dillon.
This year's show will also feature performers like Megan Moroney, Dierks Bentley and Trisha Yearwood. They'll be joined by Avery Anna, Big Kenny (of Big & Rich), Carly Pearce, Carter Faith, Dylan Scott, Gabriella Rose, Gavin Adcock, Kaitlin Butts, Mark Collie, Margo Price and Parker McCollum.
Country Music Hall of Fame member Brenda Lee will make a special appearance, and rising star Zach John King will present the ACM Studio Recording and Industry Awards.
The 19th annual ACM Honors will take place at The Pinnacle in Nashville. Pearce returns to host for the sixth time, alongside McCollum as the show's new co-host.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dolly Parton to accept ACM Poet's Award at 19th annual ACM Honors
