# Dolly Parton tribute airs live tonight on ABC and Disney+

The CMA's two-hour Nashville special begins at 9 p.m. Eastern, with Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood and other performers honoring Parton's music and legacy.

By The Signal Edition | Entertainment / Television
Published: 2026-10-21T23:12:44Z
Updated: 2026-10-21T23:12:44Z
Canonical: https://www.thesignaledition.com/article/dolly-parton-special-tonight-1bknqes
Image: https://www.thesignaledition.com/media/58b8b2e62adda9e39172e4216eb30afd.jpg (Dolly Parton onstage in an embellished white outfit, holding a microphone; credit: ABC News / Good Morning America (2020 file image))

## Summary
- CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton airs live Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 9 to 11 p.m. Eastern on ABC and Disney+.
- The two-hour tribute comes from Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville; Hulu offers it the following day.
- The announced lineup spans country, bluegrass and Broadway, and CMA and Belmont say a donation from proceeds will support Parton's Imagination Library.

## When and where to watch

The Country Music Association's ‘CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton’ is scheduled to air live Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 9 to 11 p.m. Eastern (8 to 10 p.m. Central) on ABC and Disney+. The two-hour program originates at Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville. ABC says the performance will be filmed before a live audience, so this is a live tribute rather than an already-taped concert. The broadcaster and CMA list Hulu availability for Thursday. [4](https://abc.com/news/660d8155-6302-4e57-8a5c-f8854d4f1094/category/1138628) [5](https://www.cmaworld.com/cma-presents-i-will-always-love-you-a-celebration-of-dolly-parton-reveals-star-studded-lineup/) [6](https://www.belmont.edu/stories/articles/2026/dolly-parton-tribute-belmont.html)

The title comes from one of Parton's best-known songs, but the special is designed to cover much more than a single hit. CMA says performances will be interwoven with archival footage and personal stories about her work as a songwriter, performer, entrepreneur and humanitarian. The Associated Press also includes the live Nashville program in its guide to this week's streaming and television releases. If watching through ABC, viewers can confirm the 9/8c listing with their local station; Disney+ is the announced live-streaming option, while Hulu is the next-day choice. [5](https://www.cmaworld.com/cma-presents-i-will-always-love-you-a-celebration-of-dolly-parton-reveals-star-studded-lineup/) [6](https://www.belmont.edu/stories/articles/2026/dolly-parton-tribute-belmont.html) [7](https://apnews.com/article/october-streaming-moana-john-legend-cod-4d6ff25ef006c824bf124a9c9a6bcdb5)

## Who is taking part

Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Ashley McBryde, Ella Langley, Darius Rucker, Vince Gill and Zac Brown are among the announced performers. The bill also reaches into bluegrass and other styles with Béla Fleck, Ricky Skaggs, Sierra Hull and Molly Tuttle, while Kristin Chenoweth and acts including Little Big Town and Lady A are set to appear. Amy Grant and Kimberly Williams-Paisley are billed as special guests. These are announced participants, not a confirmed running order or song list. [4](https://abc.com/news/660d8155-6302-4e57-8a5c-f8854d4f1094/category/1138628) [5](https://www.cmaworld.com/cma-presents-i-will-always-love-you-a-celebration-of-dolly-parton-reveals-star-studded-lineup/) [8](https://people.com/dolly-parton-cma-tribute-special-lineup-reba-mcentire-kelsea-ballerini-12159587)

A Belmont student ensemble is also scheduled to perform, reflecting the university's Dolly U educational programming. Organizers have promised additional surprise tributes, but have not named those contributors. The cross-generational lineup fits the show's stated aim: to trace the reach of Parton's songs and influence beyond country music, without requiring viewers to have followed any one era of her career. ABC describes the performers as spanning country, bluegrass, Broadway and beyond. [4](https://abc.com/news/660d8155-6302-4e57-8a5c-f8854d4f1094/category/1138628) [5](https://www.cmaworld.com/cma-presents-i-will-always-love-you-a-celebration-of-dolly-parton-reveals-star-studded-lineup/) [6](https://www.belmont.edu/stories/articles/2026/dolly-parton-tribute-belmont.html)

## A tribute with a charitable aim

Parton died Aug. 25 at age 80, according to the announcement on her official website and reporting by The Associated Press and Reuters. Tonight's event is framed as a celebration of her life and work, not a new performance by Parton herself. Her songwriting, screen work and philanthropy all figure in the tribute's description. The distinction matters amid searches for a ‘Dolly Parton special tonight’: the event is a live gathering of other artists honoring her, with archival material included in the broadcast. [1](https://www.dollyparton.com/news/official-announcement-dolly-parton-passes-away-at-80) [2](https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-death-country-icon-87156f3e6a1547b88bf414529b644ad3) [3](https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/dolly-parton-has-died-family-says-2026-08-25/) [5](https://www.cmaworld.com/cma-presents-i-will-always-love-you-a-celebration-of-dolly-parton-reveals-star-studded-lineup/)

CMA and Belmont say they will make a donation from the event's proceeds to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, the book-gifting program she founded. Belmont says the special combines its partnership with CMA and its broader work exploring Parton's creative and entrepreneurial legacy. The organizers have not stated that every dollar of television or ticket revenue goes to the charity. Their stated commitment is a donation from proceeds, and Disney says it is separately supporting the library's mission. That charitable connection gives the televised remembrance a link to a project Parton championed for children. [5](https://www.cmaworld.com/cma-presents-i-will-always-love-you-a-celebration-of-dolly-parton-reveals-star-studded-lineup/) [6](https://www.belmont.edu/stories/articles/2026/dolly-parton-tribute-belmont.html) [8](https://people.com/dolly-parton-cma-tribute-special-lineup-reba-mcentire-kelsea-ballerini-12159587)

## Reporting sources
1. [Dolly Parton official site: Official Announcement: Dolly Parton Passes Away at 80](https://www.dollyparton.com/news/official-announcement-dolly-parton-passes-away-at-80) (2026-08-25)
2. [Associated Press: Dolly Parton, music star, actor and beloved figure who spanned generations, dies at 80 of cancer](https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-death-country-icon-87156f3e6a1547b88bf414529b644ad3) (2026-08-25)
3. [Reuters: Dolly Parton, queen of country music, dies at 80](https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/dolly-parton-has-died-family-says-2026-08-25/) (2026-08-25)
4. [ABC: Watch 'CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton' LIVE Wednesday, Oct. 21](https://abc.com/news/660d8155-6302-4e57-8a5c-f8854d4f1094/category/1138628) (2026-10-14)
5. [Country Music Association: 'CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton' Reveals Star-Studded Lineup](https://www.cmaworld.com/cma-presents-i-will-always-love-you-a-celebration-of-dolly-parton-reveals-star-studded-lineup/) (2026-10-05)
6. [Belmont University: Belmont's Fisher Center to Host CMA's Live Television Tribute to Dolly Parton](https://www.belmont.edu/stories/articles/2026/dolly-parton-tribute-belmont.html) (2026-09-16)
7. [Associated Press: What's streaming in October: 'Moana,' John Legend, 'Modern Warfare 4'](https://apnews.com/article/october-streaming-moana-john-legend-cod-4d6ff25ef006c824bf124a9c9a6bcdb5) (2026-10-16)
8. [PEOPLE: Reba McEntire, Kelsea Ballerini and More to Tribute Dolly Parton for CMA Special](https://people.com/dolly-parton-cma-tribute-special-lineup-reba-mcentire-kelsea-ballerini-12159587) (2026-10-05)