2 min readDolly Parton is an Emmy winner. She has 11 Grammys to her name. She received an Oscar in 2025 for her philanthropic work. If she earns a Tony Award, she will officially be granted an EGOT posthumously.
EGOT is an acronym for the four biggest awards an entertainer can get: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.
It’s rare to earn them all, but Dolly is close to achieving it—she’s already the first country artist in history to be nominated for an EGOT, per Guinness World Records. She was up for a Tony in 2009 for Best Original Score for 9 to 5: The Musical, but didn’t win.
Can Someone Get an EGOT Posthumously?
Yes! Only one person has ever been granted an EGOT after their death. My Fair Lady star Audrey Hepburn died in 1993 and got hers the following year, in 1994.
Dolly could be the second. Dolly: A True Original Musical will open at the St. James Theatre on Broadway in New York City this December. It’s being directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, so the late singer’s chances at a Tony win are pretty good.
In total, 28 people have achieved EGOT status, with one person, Robert Lopez, earning it twice. Mel Brooks, Whoopi Goldberg, John Legend, Viola Davis, and Jennifer Hudson are all EGOT winners.
All About Dolly Parton’s New Broadway Musical
The Dolly musical will recap the legend’s life, from growing up dirt poor in the Great Smoky Mountains of Eastern Tennessee to living a life of glitz and glamour as one of the most beloved country stars in Nashville and beyond.
The actress, singer, and humanitarian was heavily involved in the making of the musical, because she wanted to be the one to tell her story.
“I wanted to tell my story my way. Because when I'm dead, there'll be all kinds of versions of my life,” she told Entertainment Tonight in 2025. “But I wanted to have my version of my life.”
The show had a summer 2025 run in Nashville, but she always had her sights set on a Manhattan placement, given the prestige of Broadway. Dolly: A True Original Musical will offer preview showings on Broadway starting in early December, but its official curtain opening is January 19, 2027—what would have been Dolly’s 81st birthday.
Dolly Parton died on August 25 at the age of 80, after a private battle with cancer. She leaves behind an incredible legacy beyond her dozens of awards, including her Dollywood theme park, several shows and films, her charitable Imagination Library, and an intangible impact on the entertainers who are following in her footsteps.
Amanda Hensel Jermstad is a skilled writer based in Austin, Texas. She spent 14 years as Editor-in-Chief of Taste of Country, where she led coverage of the artists, stories and trends shaping country music. With a career deeply rooted in the genre, Amanda has built a reputation for sharp editorial insight and authentic storytelling. Outside of work, she’s a proud mom of three.
