NASHVILLE—The Country Music Association (CMA) and ABC revealed today the star-studded lineup of artists set to perform in “CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton,” the two-hour live television tribute to Dolly Parton announced last month. Revealed today on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Ashley McBryde, Béla Fleck, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Ella Langley, Kelsea Ballerini, Kristen Bell, Kristin Chenoweth, Lady A, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Lukas Nelson, Molly Tuttle, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Sierra Hull, Vince Gill and Zac Brown will perform, with Amy Grant and Kimberly Williams-Paisley joining as special guests. A Belmont University student ensemble will also participate in a performance, reflecting the university’s ongoing “Dolly U” programming that seeks to engage students in learning from Parton’s career, artistry and entrepreneurial legacy. Additional surprise tributes from friends across the entertainment world will also be featured throughout the special.
The special airs Wednesday, Oct. 21 (9:00-11:00 PM/EDT) on ABC and Disney+ in the U.S. and internationally, available next day on Hulu, and will be filmed before a live audience at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville.
Spanning multiple generations and genres—from some of Parton’s fellow Country Music Hall of Fame members to Country’s biggest current stars to acclaimed voices from bluegrass, Broadway and beyond—the lineup reflects Parton’s incredible influence while tracing the full arc of her career. Robert Deaton serves as the project’s executive producer.
In conjunction with the special, CMA and Belmont University will make a donation from proceeds to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, continuing a legacy that gives millions of children the gift of a free book each month and inspires a lifelong love of reading. In addition, Disney is supporting Imagination Library to further its mission of inspiring children to imagine their possibilities.
