DOLLY PARTON’S FINAL MESSAGE TO MUSIC TEACHERS LEFT THE ROOM IN TEARS AND ZAC BROWN FOLLOWED IT WITH AN EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE

The CMA Foundation’s 10th anniversary celebration of Music Teachers of Excellence turned into an unexpectedly emotional morning when a familiar face appeared on the screen — Dolly Parton.

The event, held Wednesday, October 7, in Nashville, honored 30 extraordinary music teachers from 12 states who are using music to make a difference in their students’ lives. Each honoree received a $5,000 award, with the money divided between personal use and their classroom or music program.

The celebration featured performances from Zac Brown, David Phelps, Sierra Hull, Carrie Manolakos, Marcus King, Keith Urban, Tucker Wetmore and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

But before the music began, Zac Brown stepped onto the stage with a very special surprise.

A Message From Dolly

Brown revealed that Dolly had recorded a special message for the teachers not long before she died.

“Not long before we lost her, Dolly recorded a special message for the teachers in this room,” Brown told the audience. “She took the time to speak directly to you, and I can’t think of a better way to begin this night.”

Then Dolly appeared on the screen.

With her unmistakable warmth and cheerful personality, she welcomed the teachers to Nashville and congratulated the CMA Foundation on 10 years of Music Teachers of Excellence.

She also mentioned that the honorees were staying at her Songteller Hotel and would have the opportunity to visit her Life of Many Colors Museum.

For the teachers in the room, it was already a special moment. But knowing that Dolly was no longer here to deliver the message in person made seeing her on that screen even more emotional.

Fans watching the moment online felt the same way.

One person wrote that they weren’t expecting to have tears in their eyes that early in the morning. Another simply wrote, “Dolly, we miss you,” while others expressed how blessed they felt to have lived during Dolly’s remarkable era.

 

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Then Zac Brown Made The Moment Even More Emotional

After Dolly’s message ended, Zac Brown returned to the stage with another tribute.

He performed “Butterfly,” the song he and the Zac Brown Band originally released with Dolly in 2025.

Brown performed his part live while Dolly’s recorded vocals played alongside him, allowing her voice to fill the room once again.

It was a powerful reminder that although Dolly is no longer here, her voice continues to reach people through the music she created and the causes she supported.

 

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Her message to those teachers, followed by the sound of her voice singing “Butterfly,” turned a celebration of music education into something much more personal — a moment of remembrance, gratitude and love for a woman whose influence reached far beyond country music.

Dolly may be gone, but moments like this are proof that her voice — and everything she stood for — will continue to live on.