Ella Langley, Reba McEntire Set for CMA's Dolly Parton Tribute Special
Ella Langley, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood are among the 20 artists set to perform at the Country Music Association's upcoming television tribute to Dolly Parton, the CMA announced this week.
"CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton" will air live on Wednesday, October 21, from 9 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. It will stream on Hulu the following day.
The Full Lineup
The two-hour special will feature performances from 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.
Amy Grant and actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley will appear as special guests, and organizers say additional surprise tributes will be revealed during the broadcast. A student ensemble from Belmont University will also take part, according to the official CMA announcement.
The show will be staged at Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville. Robert Deaton, the longtime producer of the CMA Awards, is the executive producer.
A Tribute Weeks After Her Death
Parton died on August 25 in Nashville at age 80, following a brief battle with cancer. Her family held a private funeral for immediate family, in keeping with her wishes, and encouraged fans to celebrate her in their own ways.
The CMA first announced the special on September 16. "Dolly Parton belonged to the whole world, but she was born of this industry, and this industry owes her a debt of gratitude that words alone cannot repay," CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said at the time, ABC7 reported.
The special takes its name from one of Parton's most famous songs. She wrote "I Will Always Love You" in the 1970s, and it later became a worldwide hit for Whitney Houston. Her catalog also includes "Jolene" and "Coat of Many Colors," and she won 10 Grammy Awards over her career.
Her legacy has stayed in the spotlight since her death. Her classic film "9 to 5" is returning to theaters this month, and Dollywood, her theme park in East Tennessee, has remained open to visitors.
Why Ella Langley Is a Headline Name
Langley is one of the hottest names in country music right now. She leads this year's CMA Awards with nine nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for "Dandelion," according to WSMV. Her songs "Be Her" and "Choosin' Texas" are also nominated.
She joins a lineup that spans generations. McEntire, Gill and Skaggs were Parton's contemporaries, while Pearce, Ballerini and Tuttle represent the artists who grew up on her music. Actresses Kristen Bell and Kristin Chenoweth, both known for their stage and screen singing, round out the list.
Lainey Wilson, another performer on the bill, will host the 60th annual CMA Awards in Nashville on November 18.
Proceeds Will Support Her Imagination Library
The CMA and Belmont University will donate proceeds from the event to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, the program she founded in 1995 to mail free books to young children. It started in Sevier County, Tennessee, where Parton grew up, and later expanded to other states and countries. Disney is also supporting the initiative.
The Imagination Library has given away nearly 308 million books since its launch, according to Good Morning America.
"This special is our way of saying thank you, on behalf of every artist, industry member and fan" who was touched by her music, Trahern said.
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