CMA to Honor Dolly Parton With Two-Hour Live Television Celebration

Dolly Parton's music and legacy will take center stage this fall as the Country Music Association prepares a special television event celebrating the life and career of one of country music's most recognizable figures.

What’s Happening:

CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton will air live on Wednesday, October 21, from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. EDT on ABC and Disney+ in the U.S. and internationally. The two-hour special will be available to stream the following day on Hulu.
Following Parton's passing on August 25, the special will bring together performances, archival footage, and personal stories to celebrate her extraordinary career and the impact she had as an artist, songwriter, entertainer, humanitarian, and entrepreneur. The event will trace her journey from her childhood in the mountains of East Tennessee to her remarkable career and lasting influence on generations of fans around the world.
Rather than focusing solely on Parton's music, the special will explore the many facets of her legacy, including her generosity, business ventures, philanthropy, and role in shaping country music and popular culture.
Robert Deaton serves as executive producer of the project, which represents a partnership between the Country Music Association and Belmont University. The special will be filmed live at Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, bringing the celebration to the heart of Music City.
“Dolly Parton belonged to the whole world, but she was born of this industry, and this industry owes her a debt of gratitude that words alone cannot repay,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO. “As the organization built to serve and celebrate country music, honoring her legacy is not just an opportunity; it is our responsibility. This special is our way of saying thank you, on behalf of every artist, industry member and fan who found a piece of themselves in her music.”
Deaton also reflected on his personal connection to Parton and the responsibility of creating a tribute that captures the breadth of her life and career.
“Dolly gave country music its heart, and giving some of that heart back to her is an incredible honor,” said Deaton. “My hope is simply that we do right by her story, her music and the people who love her, so that this evening feels like the tribute my friend deserves.”
The Fisher Center is particularly fitting as the setting for the celebration given Belmont University's growing relationship with Parton. That partnership included the 2025 world premiere of “DOLLY: A True Original Musical” at the Fisher Center, as well as the launch of DOLLY U, an educational partnership designed to provide students with hands-on opportunities in entertainment, media, and creative industries.
Through DOLLY U, Belmont students had the opportunity to work alongside professional artists, producers, and industry leaders while helping bring Parton's creative vision to life.
“Dolly Parton’s impact extends far beyond music. She represents creativity, generosity, entrepreneurial spirit, and a commitment to lifting others up, qualities that have inspired generations and resonate deeply with Belmont’s mission,” said Dr. Greg Jones, president of Belmont University. “It was an honor for Belmont to partner with Dolly through the launch of DOLLY U and the world premiere of her musical at the Fisher Center. Now, it is a privilege to welcome artists, friends and fans from around the world to celebrate her extraordinary life and legacy from this stage in Nashville, honoring a woman whose love for Tennessee was woven into everything she did.”
The tribute will also continue Parton's philanthropic legacy. In conjunction with the special, the CMA and Belmont University will donate a portion of proceeds to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, the early childhood book-gifting program founded by Parton.
Disney is also supporting the Imagination Library as part of its efforts to further the organization's mission of inspiring children to imagine their possibilities.
Parton launched the Imagination Library in 1995 in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee, inspired in part by her father's inability to read and write. The program has since expanded internationally, providing children with a free, age-appropriate book every month from birth through age five.
According to the organization, the Imagination Library has gifted more than 300 million books to children across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. More than 3 million books are mailed each month, with children receiving the books at no cost to their families.
The program operates through partnerships with local organizations and communities, which provide funding for the wholesale cost of the books and their delivery, while the Dollywood Foundation provides the infrastructure and resources supporting the program.
Additional details about CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, including the performers, ticket information, and additional partners, will be announced in the coming weeks.
For fans wishing to attend the live taping in Nashville, ticketing updates are also expected to be announced ahead of the October 21 event. The celebration will ultimately reach audiences beyond the Fisher Center, with the special airing live on ABC and Disney+ and streaming the following day on Hulu.

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CMA to Honor Dolly Parton With Two-Hour Live Television Celebration

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