Dolly was honored with the Kennedy Center Honors on Dec. 3, 2006, along with classical music conductor Zubin Mehta, musical artist Smokey Robinson, motion picture director Steven Spielberg, and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. The award recognizes a performing artist’s lifetime contribution to American culture.
Steve Buckingham, Dolly’s longtime record producer, was not surprised by the honor at all because he feels Dolly’s impact has been "huge... not just because of her body of work as a singer and songwriter and an actress but her philanthropic work... That impact isn't limited to this country [U.S.]... I've been around different parts of the world with her, the U.K., Switzerland, Amsterdam, Paris... There's no place you go... that people don't know her. I always say, the one thing you never hear when you're anywhere with her is, `I wonder if that's Dolly Parton?' because there's no doubt."
Artists who performed or delivered remarks on Dolly’s behalf at the ceremony were actress Reese Witherspoon and musical performers Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers, Carrie Underwood, Alison Krauss, Suzanne Cox, Cheryl White, Shania Twain, Vince Gill and Jessica Simpson.
President George W. Bush praised the honorees for “enriching the cultural life of our country."
Dolly also performed several songs at the show, most memorably "Coat of Many Colors" (video below). Dolly’s longtime friend and duet partner Kenny Rogers presided over her induction which included a montage video of her career highlights.
Portions of Dolly's acceptance speech - (RAW video)
Footage courtesy of Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum Nashville
Dolly went on to say,
“I want to thank everybody that's ever played a part in my career. And there's so many I couldn't possibly mention them, but there's a few people that I really need to thank special. Porter Wagoner played a big part in my life. And Porter couldn't be here tonight, but, I want to thank him. I know he's out there watching 'cause it was because of him that I had all those great RCA records back in the early days and all our duets and a lot of wonderful things happened to me because he gave me that first big break.”
Dolly performs "Coat of Many Colors" (RAW video)
Footage courtesy of Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum Nashville
