Two months after her death at age 80, country music icons gathered in Nashville on October 21, 2026, for CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton
, an all-star musical tribute airing live on ABC, Disney+, and the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts stage.
Dolly Parton’s immense cultural legacy took center stage at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts as artists from across generations converged to celebrate her life and music. The special, which aired live from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Nashville Honors the Legendary Singer at The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts
The star-studded event opened with a tribute to Parton’s foundational mountain music roots. Acclaimed musicians Vince Gill, Béla Fleck, Ricky Skaggs, and Molly Tuttle took the stage together to deliver a rendition of Hazel Dickens’s A Few Old Memories
. They were subsequently joined by Lainey Wilson for a lively delivery of Train, Train
from Parton’s bluegrass projects, according to Country Now.
Reflecting on the evening, Ricky Skaggs noted his personal connection to the traditional mountain music that shaped both his and Parton’s early years. I hope the viewers will take away the fact that God makes originals. He doesn’t make copies,
Skaggs said.
Multigenerational Performances Highlight the ABC Broadcast
The two-hour concert featured nearly two dozen artists spanning multiple decades of entertainment. Robert Deaton served as the executive producer of the tribute special. Among those who took the stage were Ashley McBryde, 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, Reba McEntire, Sierra Hull, and Zac Brown. Kristin Chenoweth and Carly Pearce teamed up for a rendition of the blockbuster hit 9 to 5
. Chenoweth, who previously recorded I Will Always Love You
with Parton for a 2019 album, channeled the icon alongside Pearce, who was invited into the Grand Ole Opry by Parton herself, as detailed by Deseret News.
Later in the evening, Carrie Underwood delivered a moving performance of I Will Always Love You
, drawing a standing ovation from the live audience. Underwood was joined near the conclusion of the song by a Belmont University student ensemble.
Proceeds Benefit Imagination Library
Beyond the prime-time broadcast and streaming availability on Hulu and Disney+, the event carried a philanthropic mission. The Country Music Association and Belmont University announced that a portion of the proceeds from the Nashville tribute will be donated directly to Imagination Library, the global nonprofit she founded in 1995 to provide free books to children around the world.