All Photos Courtesy Getty Images for ACM
Airs Friday, Sept. 15 (9:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT) on CBS
At the 11TH ANNUAL ACM HONORS™, Dolly Parton received the Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award. The event recognized the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards™. As a special tribute to Dolly, Brad Paisley performed “My Tennessee Mountain Home.”
The Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award honors a country music artist, duo/group or industry professional devoted to improving lives through the power of music, has a generosity of spirit and is committed to serving others. It is voted on by The ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors.
Dolly has held many titles over her storied 50-year career. She is an iconic singer, songwriter, actress, legend---but philanthropist is one that is close to her heart. Since her earliest days of stardom, Dolly has used her celebrity to support the causes she loves most. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has, to date, provided over 94 million free books to preschool children in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Today, the program mails one million free books to registered children each month.
In 2016, Dolly stepped up to raise money for victims of the massive wildfires in her native East Tennessee. Hosting “Smoky Mountains Rise,” a three-hour telethon, Dolly helped raise $12 million for The Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund. The Fund provided money for temporary housing for families who lost their homes in the fires.
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The Academy renamed/incorporated the Humanitarian Award into the existing Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award. Past recipients include Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill, Lonestar, Martina McBride, Neal McCoy, Reba McEntire, Montgomery Gentry, Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood.
The Academy of Country Music® presented the 11th Annual ACM Honors™ on Aug. 23 at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Portions of the event were taped for the two-hour special which airs on Friday, Sept. 15 (9:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. In addition to Dolly and a host of other honorees, Reba McEntire received the Mae Boren Axton Service Award. This award recognizes outstanding individuals for years of dedication and service to the Academy of Country Music. Also, George Strait received the Cliffie Stone Icon Award. It honors those who advance the popularity of the genre through contributions in multiple facets of the industry. Areas such as songwriting, recording, production, touring, film, television, literary works, philanthropic contributions and other goodwill efforts.
Featured photo courtesy of Curtis Hilbun
During the 51ST ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS®, pop superstar Katy Perry presented Dolly Parton with the Tex Ritter Award for her hit NBC movie, “Dolly Parton’s Coat Of Many Colors.”
Being presented with this award was such a special honor for Dolly because the movie was so near and dear to her. In her acceptance speech, Dolly said,
"I knew Tex Ritter. I loved him, so that makes this award twice as special to me."
An avid fan of Dolly’s, Katy recently took to social media expressing her excitement about the upcoming performance saying,
“I shall remember though that I am but one sequin on this living legend’s costume!”
The highly anticipated performance was incredible and will definitely be one that will go down in the history books!
All photos courtesy of Curtis Hilbun
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Did you know?
Katy Perry asked Dolly to perform with her during Super Bowl 2015, but it didn’t happen due to scheduling conflicts.
