Honoring the late, great Dolly Parton.
Today, the Country Music Association announced a two-hour live special celebrating the life and music of the country icon called “CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton.” It’s set to on October 21st on ABC and Disney+, and be available for streaming the following day on Hulu.
On August 25, 2026, Dolly sadly passed away at 80-years-old in Nashville Tennessee. Dolly had been dealing with undisclosed health issues for the last year or so, and she previously shared that she was having issues with severe kidney stones. Dolly’s reps confirmed she sadly died following a “brief battle with cancer,” though the specific kind was not revealed.
According to Variety, the special will be 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.”
No performers have been announced yet, but I have to imagine there will be some massive country stars, as well as legends from many other genres, and it’s certainly very well-deserved for a woman who gave so much back to the world well beyond her music.
Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO, says this special is a way of saying “thank you” to Dolly for everything she did for so many people:
“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. 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 serve as the tribute’s executive producer, says their goal is to simply “do right be her story, her music and the people who love her”:
“Dolly gave country music its heart, and giving some of that heart back to her is an incredible honor. 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 live event will be filmed at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, and in true Dolly fashion, CMA and Belmont University will also donate a portion of the proceeds to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which was one of Dolly’s greatest passions.
Fans know that Dolly grew up very poor (well, money-wise), in the mountains of east Tennessee. Born on January 19th, 1946, she became a beloved musician because she’s obviously an incredible talent in the music world, but I think it’s safe to say that what most people admire about her is what an amazing person she was. Through philanthropic efforts like her Imagination Library Foundation, giving back was always at the top of her to-do list.
Dolly had 11 brothers and sisters, though she always noted how much love they had in their family, even if everybody in their area was poor with three o’s. She spoke throughout her life about the struggles that they faced as children, and how hard her parents worked to provide what they could, and she kept that down-to-earth, salt of the earth demeanor with her throughout her life.
Of course, she’s know for timeless hits like “Coat of Many Colors,” “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Here You Come Again,” and “I Will Always Love You,” and throughout her illustrious career, Dolly put out 50 studio albums and charted 25 #1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. In addition, she released 13 Collaborative albums with Porter Wagoner, as well as nine live albums and six soundtrack albums. She was of course a Country Music Hall of Fame member, as well as a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
She received 45 CMA nominations and won 10, including Entertainer of the Year in 1978, making her one of only seven female artists to receive the CMA’s highest honor.
There have already been several tributes for Dolly, and I’m sure this will be the first of many more formal and dedicated tributes for the country icon, and I know fans will be excited to watch as country music honors one of their all-time greats.
Reba honored Dolly earlier this week during the Emmys with a stunning performance of “Appalachian Memories”:
