CMA Reveals Star Lineup for Dolly Tribute

The Country Music Association announced the full performer lineup for CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, airing live Oct. 21 from 9 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, then on Hulu the next day. Filming is at Belmont University's Fisher Center in Nashville, with Robert Deaton executive producing. The lineup includes Reba McEntire, Ella Langley, Zac Brown, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Vince Gill, Little Big Town, Kristen Bell, Kristin Chenoweth, Béla Fleck, Molly Tuttle, Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde, Lady A, Ricky Skaggs, Sierra Hull and Lukas Nelson. Amy Grant and Kimberly Williams-Paisley appear as non-performing guests; surprise tributes are expected; a Belmont student ensemble will perform under Dolly U. The venue also hosted the 2025 pre-Broadway premiere of Parton's Dolly musical. CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said 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," calling the special "our way of saying thank you." Proceeds benefit her Imagination Library, which has given away nearly 308 million books since 1995. Parton died Aug. 25 at age 80 after a brief cancer battle, her family said. No contested facts appear across the rated coverage.