Wednesday was Dolly Parton's night in Nashville as Sevier County's own legend was honored with the Academy of Country Music's highest honor, the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award. The trophy was presented during a non-televised, private reception for the ACMs held at the Tennessee State Museum and hosted by Marty Stuart.

Ashley Monroe paid tribute to Dolly by singing her 1981 No. 1 "But You Know I Love You," while bluegrass queen Rhonda Vincent brought the house down with her take on "Jolene." Longtime duet partner Porter Wagoner introduced her, explaining: "She was so different, so unique sounding and really and truly that's why I hired her for ‘The Porter Wagoner Show.' It wasn't because she had big boobs!" During her award acceptance, Dolly countered: "And, yes, you did hire me because I had big boobs!"

She also got several laughs with her comment: "This is a great honor. Of course when they told me I was winning the Pioneer Award I thought, 'Well, how appropriate 'cause I remember when me and Porter came to Nashville in our covered wagon.'"

Fellow Pioneer Award winner Don Williams was not present, and family members accepted the honor for deceased honorees Waylon Jennings and Harlan Howard. Also recognized at the festivities were the late Buck Owens for the Jim Reeves International Award and late Columbia/Sony executive Jack Lameier for the Mae Boran Axton Award.

Dolly's hit compilation CD "The Very Best Of Dolly Parton" continues to ride high overseas. The collection slips one to No. 5 country in Australia this week, 10 to No. 55 pop in Ireland and one to No. 16 pop in Norway although it falls back out of the top 60 pop chart in Sweden, down from No. 56 the previous week. It's follow-up, "The Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 2," hit stores across Europe on Monday and should be available very soon from those U.S. retailers that sell British imports.

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