CNN issued an apology to Dolly Parton’s family after airing a photograph of a Las Vegas tribute artist instead of the country music singer during coverage of her death.
Approximately 12 hours after Parton passed away on Tuesday, CNN broadcast an image of tribute performer Kelly Vohnn during the program “Laura Coates Live.” Vohnn, 58, is a longtime singer who has portrayed Parton as part of her work as a tribute artist.
In a statement to the New York Post, CNN confirmed that they corrected the error and apologized to Parton’s family. “We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family,” a spokesperson for the outlet said.
CNN forced to apologize to Dolly Parton’s family for using photo of Vegas impersonator in covering icon’s death https://t.co/L6M20jULjY pic.twitter.com/QwYd0ulhCC
— New York Post (@nypost) August 27, 2026
Vohnn said the photograph used by the network was taken in December at a Las Vegas screening of the film “Song Sung Blue,” which stars Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman. She learned of the broadcast when friends contacted her.
“I started getting all these texts in from friends saying that I was on CNN, and I couldn’t believe it,” Vohnn told the New York Post. “I was already heartbroken at losing Dolly because of how much she has given to me as a woman and an artist. But then to see these images of me on screen was just weird.”
Vohnn described the error as a failure of research. “Somebody at CNN really messed up and didn’t do their research,” she said. “I felt so sorry and apologetic for Dolly, because over her career there are so many wonderful images and moments that they could have chosen from — and CNN just picked something not appropriate.”
She added that she has never presented herself as Parton. “To be clear, I have never represented myself as being Dolly ever in my life. I have always been known as a tribute act for her and many other stars. It was quite embarrassing, to be honest.”
Vohnn considered contacting the network but did not. “I thought about calling CNN, but was really consumed by the grief of losing Dolly [and] I just wanted to be at home with my thoughts, raising a glass of wine to that brilliant woman,” she said. She called Parton “an inspiration” and stated that she would continue performing the singer’s music. “Dolly has been a real force in my life, helping me through the lowest and highest moments of my life. She really changed the world for so many people [and] for me personally.”
