CMA to Air Live Dolly Parton Tribute on Oct. 21

The Country Music Association will broadcast a live two‑hour tribute to Dolly Parton on Wednesday, October 21. The special, titled I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, will air at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ and will be available on Hulu the following day. It will be staged at Belmont University’s Fisher Center in Nashville and is executive‑produced by Robert Deaton.

Performers

The lineup features country stars Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Little Big Town, Lady A, Kelsea Ballerini, Vince Gill, and many others such as bluegrass virtuoso Bela Fleck, Broadway talent Kristin Chenoweth and actress‑singer Kristen Bell. Amy Grant and Kimberly Williams‑Paisley appear as special guests, and a Belmont University student ensemble will join a performance as part of the school’s "Dolly U" program.

Charity

Proceeds from the event will support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which as of 2025 distributes more than 3.4 million books each month to children in the United States and abroad. Parton, who died on August 25 at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, had previously said she was proud of the library and wanted her contributions to matter beyond tax benefits.

Context

The tribute highlights Parton’s wide influence across country, bluegrass and popular culture, while the charity tie‑in continues her long‑standing commitment to children’s literacy.