Noah Kahan Set to Honor Legends at 2026 Emmy Awards 'In Memoriam' Spot

The 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards are scheduled to take place on Monday, September 14, at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. NBC will broadcast the ceremony live across the country starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, with a simultaneous stream available on Peacock. Gold Derby was the first to report key details about the upcoming event.

A highlight of the evening will be Noah Kahan's performance of Simon & Garfunkel’s iconic power ballad “Bridge Over Troubled Water” during the “in memoriam” segment. This song is a fitting choice, having topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks in 1970 and later earning Grammys for Record and Song of the Year. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, cementing its status as a poignant selection for memorial tributes. Kahan himself is expected to be a significant contender in the upcoming Grammy nominations, which are set to be announced on November 16.

The telecast will also feature a special tribute to the beloved star Dolly Parton, who passed away on August 25 at the age of 80. While specific details of the tribute are yet to be revealed, it is anticipated to be one of many accolades for the legendary artist across various awards shows. Parton previously won a Primetime Emmy in 2001 as an executive producer for “Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square,” which was recognized as outstanding television movie.

Mariska Hargitay, fresh off winning two awards for directing and producing “My Mom Jayne: A Film By Mariska Hargitay”—a documentary about her mother, 1960s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield—is slated to host Monday’s ceremonies. The roster of presenters for the evening includes notable figures such as Zendaya, Keke Palmer, Amy Poehler, Marcello Hernández, and Alan Cumming. Furthermore, Michael J. Fox will be honored with the prestigious Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, an accolade established in 2002. Fox is celebrated for his roles in the TV series “Family Ties” and the hit film “Back to the Future,” both of which spawned No. 1 hits on the Hot 100.

Executive producing the telecast are Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment. Prior to the main event, the first two nights of the Primetime Emmys, formerly known as the Creative Arts ceremonies, were held on September 5-6. These earlier ceremonies were not broadcast live but will be edited into a single program. This broadcast is scheduled to air on Saturday, September 12, on FXX at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with streaming available on Hulu the following day.

The tradition of a significant musical performance during the “In Memoriam” segment at the Primetime Emmys has a rich history. A look back at previous performances since 2013 reveals a consistent commitment to honoring those lost with powerful and memorable musical tributes:

• 2013: Carrie Underwood performed The Beatles’ “Yesterday”
• 2014: Sara Bareilles performed Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile”
• 2015: A recording of the late Eva Cassidy singing the Oscar-winning “Over the Rainbow” was played
• 2016: Tori Kelly performed Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”
• 2017: Christopher Jackson performed Stevie Wonder’s “As”
• 2018: Aretha Franklin performed the gospel classic “Amazing Grace”
• 2019: Halsey performed “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman
• 2020: H.E.R. performed Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”
• 2021: Leon Bridges and Jon Batiste performed Batiste’s “River”
• 2022: John Legend performed his “Pieces”
• 2023: Charlie Puth and The War and Treaty performed Puth’s co-write “See You Again” and the Friends theme “I’ll Be There for You”
• 2024: Jelly Roll performed his “I Am Not Okay”
• 2025: Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson performed Gill’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain”
• 2026: Noah Kahan is slated to perform Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”