Dolly Parton will receive one of country music’s major humanitarian honors after her passing, with the Country Radio Broadcasters announcing that she has been selected as the recipient of the 2027 Artist Humanitarian Award.
The award will be presented posthumously during Country Radio Seminar 2027, scheduled for March 17–19, 2027, in Nashville. Parton had already been informed that she had been chosen for the recognition before her passing, making the upcoming ceremony a tribute to a legacy that extended well beyond her music career.
A Recognition She Knew About
The Artist Humanitarian Award recognizes a lifetime of generosity, compassion and service to others. According to the Country Radio Broadcasters, Parton had agreed to accept the honor earlier in 2026 before her death.
CRS Executive Director RJ Curtis highlighted the breadth of Parton’s philanthropic work, noting that her decades of generosity made her a fitting recipient of the award. The 2027 ceremony will now take place without Parton in attendance, but organizers will honor the impact of her work and her commitment to helping others.
Parton died on August 25, 2026, at age 80, after a short battle with cancer.
Her Humanitarian Legacy
Although Parton became one of the most recognizable figures in country music, her philanthropic work became an important part of her public legacy.
One of her most enduring initiatives is the Imagination Library, which she launched in 1995 in her home county in East Tennessee. The program was created to encourage childhood reading by providing free books to young children. What began as a local project eventually expanded internationally, delivering millions of books to children and families.
Through the Dollywood Foundation and her personal charitable giving, Parton also supported causes involving education, healthcare, disaster relief and medical research. Her philanthropy included assistance for communities affected by devastating wildfires in East Tennessee.
These efforts helped establish a side of Parton’s legacy that existed alongside her achievements as a singer, songwriter, entertainer and entrepreneur.
A Longstanding Country Music Honor
The Artist Humanitarian Award was established in 1990 to recognize country artists whose philanthropic efforts have made a meaningful impact on the causes they support.
Previous recipients include Jelly Roll, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood, among others.
Parton’s name will now join that list, with her award presentation scheduled for next year’s Country Radio Seminar in Nashville.
Source: Compiled from various sources.
