Pop singer Katy Perry and country music legend Dolly Parton took to the Academy of Country Music Awards stage Sunday night to perform a medley of hit songs from throughout Parton's long career.
Perry and Parton were introduced by Perry's friend and country singer Kacey Musgraves before they traded off on verses of three of Parton's biggest hits: "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene" and "9 to 5."
"I'm a big fan of both [Katy and Dolly] because I've gotten to tour with Katy, so it's fun seeing her pop into the country world and hang out," Musgraves said. "It's gonna be a special moment."
Perry also presented Parton with the Tex Ritter Award, which is given to a movie from the previous year that features country music. Parton accepted the award for her work on the 2015 NBC TV movie "Coat of Many Colors," which is based on her song of the same name and tells the story of her childhood, growing up in East Tennessee.
"I recently tweeted that I was but just one tiny sequin on Dolly Parton's gown," Perry told the crowd at the ACM Awards as she introduced Parton. "I think I'll say, though, maybe we're kind of cut from the same lamé because her grandpa was a preacher, my father's a preacher; we both grew up singin' and playin' guitar in church; and we're both known for some of the biggest songs in our fields."
Parton then took the stage at the ACM Awards, which was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
"I don't think I'm all that, but I appreciate your standing ovation," Parton said. "This is such a great honor, and I would like to the thank the Academy of Country Music for this award."
While Perry might have seemed like a random choice to duet and introduce the country music legend, the singer had previously blurred the lines between the pop and country music genres. The 31-year-old toured with Musgraves, and the two filmed an episode of CMT's "Crossroads" together in which they dueted on each other's hits.
