The 2016 CMA Awards was a wild one.
From that year being the 50th CMA Awards to Alan Jackson walking out during a Beyoncé performance, a lot happened.
One positive thing that came out of this ceremony was Dolly Parton winning the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was first introduced in 2012 with previous winners being Willie Nelson (obviously), Kenny Rogers, and Johnny Cash.
Parton’s win in 2016 marked her as the first woman to receive this award.
Along with the award, Dolly Parton was also honored with medley of some of her greatest hits.
The performance begins with Pentatonix (that acapella group whose Christmas album my grandma adores) and Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles singing “Jolene.”
What’s so much fun about this performance is that it is acapella, so Pentatonix is in a sense creating the music with their voices. Could I do without the beatboxing? Probably. But I can’t deny that I was bopping along, having a great time.
Then, Reba comes out and kills her rendition of “9 to 5” despite a small hiccup at the beginning, which she playfully quips was because she saw Dolly and got mixed up.
Totally understandable. If I saw that woman if real life, I wouldn’t be able to anything, let alone sing in front of a big ole audience.
My favorite part of the medley though has got to be when Kacey Musgraves sings “Here You Come Again.” The song is pretty underrated in my opinion, and Kacey Musgraves voice just sounds like liquid gold. And maybe it’s just because of they both have a signature twang, but I can’t help be feel like she sounds like Dolly on this song.
Finally, because any Dolly Parton medley wouldn’t be complete without “I Will Always Love You,” Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride absolutely destroy this classic before being joined by the other female performers to finish off the song.
I feel like anything involving a Dolly song is an instant shot of serotonin to the soul, so if you’re having a crappy day, just watch this performance and enjoy a bunch of talented women honoring another talented woman.
