NASHVILLE, Tenn. — More than a dozen music icons gathered in Nashville on Wednesday night to honor the life, music and philanthropic legacy of Dolly Parton during a live two-hour televised concert special.
The broadcast, titled “CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton,” originated from Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, according to the Country Music Association. Parton, a beloved Country Music Hall of Famer whose entertainment career spanned more than six decades, died on Aug. 25 at age 80.
All-star performances celebrate legendary catalog
The memorial concert brought together artists spanning multiple generations and genres to perform selections from Parton’s catalog alongside archival clips and personal remembrances. Close friend Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson and Kelsea Ballerini led the roster of performers, Billboard and Rolling Stone reported.
Several planned song selections highlighted Parton’s most enduring hits. Ella Langley was scheduled to perform “Jolene,” Ballerini was set to sing “Here You Come Again,” and country group Lady A prepared to deliver “Islands in the Stream,” the iconic duet Parton famously recorded with Kenny Rogers, according to Yahoo.
The stage lineup also included Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker, Ashley McBryde, Little Big Town, Vince Gill, Zac Brown, Lukas Nelson and Ricky Skaggs, as well as bluegrass musicians Béla Fleck, Molly Tuttle and Sierra Hull. Beyond the country genre, actors and vocalists Kristen Bell and Kristin Chenoweth joined the production, alongside special appearances by Amy Grant and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Students from Belmont University also participated onstage as part of an ensemble, Page Six reported.
Charitable mission and streaming availability
Offstage, the event was organized to bolster Parton’s global literacy efforts. Parton established Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in 1995, an organization that distributes free books to young children worldwide. According to Rolling Stone, ABC announced that all ticket sales from the live theater audience would benefit the charity, while Billboard reported that Belmont University and the CMA committed a portion of event proceeds to the nonprofit program.
Following its live Wednesday night telecast on ABC, which was also streamed live on Disney+ according to Billboard, the special moves to video-on-demand services. Viewers who missed the original broadcast can stream the full two-hour tribute starting Thursday on Hulu, with Billboard noting availability on Disney+ as well.
Network representatives have not yet announced whether the concert will receive future television rebroadcasts or an official audio soundtrack release.
