Culture 4 min read By Lauren Baxter
CNN Apologizes to Dolly Parton’s Family After Airing Impersonator’s Photo
CNN has apologized to Dolly Parton’s family after mistakenly airing a photo of Las Vegas impersonator Kelly Vohnn during coverage of the country icon’s death on Laura Coates Live.
CNN has issued an apology to the family of Dolly Parton after the network mistakenly aired a photo of a Las Vegas tribute artist instead of the country music legend during coverage of her death. The error occurred Tuesday night on the 11 p.m. ET broadcast of Laura Coates Live, when a report on Parton’s passing featured an image of impersonator Kelly Vohnn rather than the singer herself.
The network has since reached out to Parton’s family to express regret over the mix-up. Parton died at age 80 on Tuesday following what her family described as a brief battle with cancer. In a statement, her family said she was surrounded by loved ones when she passed away. The news of her death prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the music and entertainment world, including messages from Elton John, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Mick Jagger, Debbie Harry, Eminem, and Miley Cyrus, Parton’s goddaughter.
The photo error drew attention on social media, with viewers noting the discrepancy between the impersonator and the late singer. CNN has not publicly detailed how the mistake occurred but confirmed the apology to Parton’s family. Vohnn, a longtime Las Vegas performer known for portraying Parton on stage, has not publicly commented on the incident.
Parton’s death has led to a surge in interest in her music, with streaming numbers for her catalog soaring by more than 2,000 percent in the days since. Artists have also paid tribute through performances, including Jack White’s rendition of “Jolene,” The King’s Guard performing “9 To 5” at Buckingham Palace, and Orville Peck’s version of “I Will Always Love You.” Harry Styles opened his 30-night residency at Madison Square Garden by playing the same song over the speakers before his show began.
Parton had postponed a Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in October 2025 and later canceled the run in May due to health reasons. She had shared an update with fans last week, saying she was dealing with health issues she had neglected while caring for her husband of 58 years, Carl Dean, before his death last year.
The singer’s legacy has been widely remembered in the days since her passing. An old clip of Julia Roberts discussing Parton’s advice about complaining has also resurfaced online. In the clip from The Oprah Winfrey Show, Roberts recalled working with Parton on the 1989 film Steel Magnolias, for which Roberts earned her first Oscar nomination. Roberts described the intense heat during production and noted that Parton, wearing a wig and wool costume, was the only cast member not complaining. When Roberts asked her about it, Parton said, “When I was a little girl, I wanted to be famous and I wanted to be rich, and now I’m both those things. I’m not going to complain about it.”
Roberts said she has never forgotten the moment, adding that she still hears Parton’s words whenever she is tempted to complain. The clip has been widely shared as part of the broader reflection on Parton’s life and career, which spanned more than five decades and made her one of the most beloved figures in American music.
