- Dolly Parton will be the subject of a CMA tribute special on ABC, Disney+, and Hulu next month.
- Parton, who died Aug. 25, was beloved by the country music community and beyond.
- Fans can sign up to receive updates about the event.
Dolly Parton will fittingly be memorialized by the Country Music Association following her Aug. 25 death at 80.
The organization announced Wednesday that a two-hour special, CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, will air next month on ABC, and stream on Disney+ and Hulu. No details about performers were provided yet, although fans can sign up to receive that information when it’s available.
The event will be filmed live at partner Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.
While specifics weren’t given, the special was described as “a joyful, emotional celebration of the artist, songwriter, entertainer, humanitarian, and entrepreneur whose music and generosity carried her from the mountains of East Tennessee into the hearts of generations around the world, told through performances, archival footage and personal stories that trace her extraordinary journey to becoming one of the most beloved entertainers and philanthropists in American history.”
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While Parton’s work crossed genres, she was best known as the country music star behind songs such as “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5,” “Here You Come Again,” and many more.
“Dolly Parton belonged to the whole world,” CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said, “but she was born of this industry, and this industry owes her a debt of gratitude that words alone cannot repay. 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.”
Robert Deaton, who will executive produce the event, noted the project is personal to him.
“Dolly gave country music its heart, and giving some of that heart back to her is an incredible honor,” he said. “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.”
Both CMA and Belmont University, with which Parton has partnered with in the past, will donate proceeds from the special to Parton’s Imagination Library, just one of the philanthropic efforts she championed.
And there should be significant interest in tickets, considering how beloved Parton was, particularly in the country music community. Fellow country queen and longtime friend Reba McEntire paid tribute to the late icon at Monday’s Emmy Awards by singing Parton’s 1983 tune “Appalachian Memories.”
Parton won an Emmy in 2021 for her Netflix musical Christmas on the Square, which she starred in, cowrote, and executive produced. She was nominated for another four of the awards.
The performance was preceded by remarks by Sally Field, one of the night’s winners and Parton’s costar in the 1989 movie Steel Magnolias. The singer had played sweet and sassy hairdresser Truvy, while Field took the role of no-nonsense M’Lynn.
CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton airs Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+ and will stream the next day on Hulu.
