Carly Pearce and Parker McCollum Bring Playful Energy to “Islands in the Stream” at ACM Honors
“Islands in the Stream” was the perfect way to get the 2026 ACM Honors underway.
On Wednesday night, August 19, Carly Pearce and Parker McCollum opened the ceremony with a lively rendition of the Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers classic, setting a celebratory tone for the evening. The pair, who served as the event’s hosts, also took on performance duties for the playful tribute.
Unlike the main ACM Awards, which are televised and focus primarily on artists, ACM Honors is a more intimate ceremony celebrating a broader group of country music figures, including artists, songwriters, and other members of the industry. Although the event has been televised in previous years, it was not known whether the 2026 ceremony would receive its own television special.
This year marked Pearce’s sixth time hosting ACM Honors. She was joined by McCollum, who served as a co-host for the first time.
Pearce and McCollum Open the Ceremony With a Country Classic
The two hosts kicked off the night with “Islands in the Stream,” the beloved 1983 duet made famous by Parton and Rogers.
The song was a fitting choice, particularly because Parton was among the recipients of the 2026 ACM Honors Poet’s Award. She was unable to attend the ceremony because of ongoing health issues, but she still took part in the evening by sending a video message acknowledging the honor.
Originally recorded by Parton and Rogers, “Islands in the Stream” became a major crossover success. It reached No. 1 on both the Hot Country Songs chart and the all-genre Hot 100, giving the pair their second crossover chart-topper. Their previous ones were Parton’s “9 to 5” and Rogers’ “Lady.”
The song has also remained one of country music’s most celebrated duets. When CMT conducted a 2005 poll ranking the greatest country music duets of all time, “Islands in the Stream” took the No. 1 position.
Because the ACM Honors ceremony was not televised, fans could not watch the performance through an official broadcast. However, attendees captured video of Pearce and McCollum performing the song and shared footage from the event.
Carly Pearce Returns for Another Dolly Parton Tribute
“Islands in the Stream” was not the only Parton song featured during the ceremony.
Later in the evening, Pearce returned to the stage alongside Carter Faith and Kaitlin Butts for a performance of “9 to 5,” another of Parton’s most recognizable songs.
The timing was especially notable. Earlier on August 19, Parton’s team announced that the singer had received 82 new global sales certifications spanning 14 countries.
Among those new honors, “9 to 5” was certified Diamond in Canada. The song also received new Platinum certifications in the Netherlands, the UK, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Austria, Australia, and South Africa. In Mexico and Finland, it earned Gold certifications.
“Islands in the Stream” also picked up several new Platinum certifications, with new honors coming from the Netherlands, the UK, New Zealand, Denmark, and Austria.
With Parton being recognized at ACM Honors and two of her signature songs receiving new certifications, August 19 proved to be a particularly significant day for the country music legend.
Pearce, Faith, and Butts continued the celebration with their rendition of “9 to 5,” giving ACM Honors another memorable Dolly Parton moment.
