CNN Apologizes for Mistakenly Airing Photo of Dolly Parton Impersonator in Report on Late Singer

The CNN network has issued a formal statement of regret to the relatives of the late country music superstar Dolly Parton, following an on-air mix-up that saw a photograph of a tribute act mistakenly presented as the icon herself. The incident unfolded during the Tuesday evening broadcast of “Laura Coates Live” in the 11 p.m. Eastern slot, as the channel was delivering coverage of Parton’s death. While a sequence of images appeared on screen—five of which were authentic shots of Parton—the sixth was actually a picture of Kelly Vohnn, a Las Vegas entertainer renowned for her Dolly Parton impersonation performances.

A network representative, speaking to Variety, stated: “We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family.” The misidentified image, supplied by Getty Images, was taken on December 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. The photo agency confirmed that Vohnn was at the Palms Casino Resort’s Brenden Theatres, attending a screening of the film “Song Sung Blue.” The mistake gained widespread traction after the New York Post highlighted the apology, prompting Vohnn to describe the bewildering experience. “My phone started blowing up with texts from friends saying I was on CNN, and I just couldn’t wrap my head around it,” she told the outlet. “I was already devastated by losing Dolly, given everything she meant to me as a woman and an artist. But seeing those images of myself on screen was just surreal.”

Vohnn, whose career as a Dolly Parton tribute performer has spanned decades, suddenly found herself in an unexpected spotlight during a period of collective mourning. The broadcast included correspondent Shimon Prokupecz reporting live from Nashville, where the sorrow over Parton’s passing was deeply felt among fans and residents. Parton died on Tuesday, August 25, at age 80, after what her representatives described as a “brief battle with cancer.” The announcement reverberated across the entertainment industry, drawing tributes from musicians, political figures, and admirers worldwide.

Parton’s influence is virtually unparalleled in American music history. Across a career of more than seventy years, she composed and performed hundreds of songs, earning a place among the most cherished figures in the genre. Her repertoire features enduring hits like “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5,” “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “Here You Come Again.” In addition to her artistic output, Parton was celebrated for her charitable work, notably the Imagination Library initiative, which has distributed millions of books to children globally. In a final enigmatic gesture, she recorded a secret track, now sealed within a time capsule at her Dollywood theme park in Tennessee, scheduled for opening in 2045—marking what would have been her centennial birthday. As admirers continue to grapple with her absence, the inadvertent image error highlights the profound attachment people held for Parton’s public persona, even as the network strives to rectify its oversight.