Loretta Lynn was being honored as the Artist of a Lifetime at the 2018 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony on Wednesday night (Oct. 17), but she wasn't able to attend the event. Her famous friends and fans, however, stepped up to honor her nonetheless.

"Well, y'all, leave it to me to go and get sick on the very night all my friends are getting together to honor me at the CMT award show as their Artist of a Lifetime," Lynn tweeted on Wednesday night. "I can’t believe that I'm not gonna be there tonight in person, but I am watching and I’m there in spirit!"

In Lynn's place, actress Sissy Spacek accepted her Artist of a Lifetime honor. Spacek won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Lynn in the 1980 film inspired by Lynn's song "Coal Miner's Daughter." She was originally scheduled to present the trophy to Lynn.

"From the moment we met, she's been my cheerleader, my sister and my best friend," Spacek said of Lynn during her time onstage, choking up. "It's my honor to accept her award ... Well done, Loretta. Well done."

Sheryl Crow, Dierks Bentley and Martina McBride also helped pay tribute to Lynn with a musical medley. McBride opened the set with "You Ain't Woman Enough (to Take My Man)," while Bentley and Crow performed "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man," one of Lynn's duets with Conway Twitty.

Lynn has appeared in public sparingly since suffering a stroke in May of 2017, followed by a broken hip due to a fall in January.

“I think people thought I wouldn’t come back from that,” Lynn admits. “And they’re really shocked when I tell them, ‘Well, I’m doing good, I’m moving my arms, I’m moving all my parts, and I can still sing.’”

CMT's 2018 Artists of the Year were all women. In addition to Artist of a Lifetime Lynn, the country music-focused TV network honored Carrie UnderwoodMiranda LambertKelsea BalleriniMaren MorrisLittle Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott as their 2018 Artists of the Year. According to CMT Senior Vice President of Music and Talent Leslie Fram, the network's decision to honor all women this year "reflect[s] what's happening right now in culture and in the lives of our fans."

See Photos From the 2018 CMT Artist of the Year Red Carpet

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