CNN has apologized to Dolly Parton’s family after making an embarrassing mistake during its coverage of the country music legend’s death: The network displayed a photograph of a Las Vegas Dolly Parton impersonator instead of Parton herself.
The error appeared during Laura Coates Live as CNN aired a tribute to Parton roughly 12 hours after her death. But viewers quickly noticed something was wrong with one of the images used during the segment.
The woman on the screen was not Parton. It was 58-year-old Las Vegas tribute performer Kelly Vohnn.
After the mistake attracted attention online, CNN acknowledged the error Thursday.
“We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family,” the network said in a brief statement.
🚨 UPDATE: CNN was just forced to APOLOGIZE for using the wrong image of Dolly Parton after she passed away at 80 — NYP
CNN displayed this photo of a Dolly Parton impersonator, named Kelly Vohnn
“We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family.”
It’s always CNN. pic.twitter.com/KFGxlYhcI5
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 27, 2026
For Vohnn, the experience was particularly strange because she was already mourning the woman whose music and image had played such an important role in her own career.
Vohnn told the California Post that she first discovered what had happened when friends began sending her messages saying they had seen her on CNN.
“I started getting all these texts in from friends saying that I was on CNN, and I couldn’t believe it,” Vohnn said. “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 placed responsibility for the mix-up squarely on the network’s research process.
“Somebody at CNN really messed up and didn’t do their research,” she said.
She also stressed that she has never attempted to pass herself off as the real Dolly Parton.
“To be clear, I have never represented myself as being Dolly ever in my life,” Vohnn said. “I have always been known as a tribute act for her and many other stars.”
That distinction makes the mistake particularly awkward. Parton spent decades as one of the most recognizable entertainers in American music, leaving behind an enormous collection of photographs from performances, television appearances, movies, award ceremonies and public events.
Vohnn said CNN had plenty of authentic material from which to choose.
“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 said.
Parton’s representatives confirmed Tuesday that the singer had died after what they described as a brief battle with cancer. They did not disclose the specific type.
“After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the family statement said.
The statement remembered Parton not only for her music but also for her charitable work, including her Imagination Library literacy program and her financial support for medical research.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” the family said. “Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.”
