Country music’s biggest names are coming together tonight for“CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton,”a two-hour special airing at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. Taped at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, the tribute honors Parton’s six-decade career following her death on Aug. 25 at age 80, and the lineup is stacked: Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson, Kelsea Ballerini, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Little Big Town and more than a dozen artists in total, with archival footage and personal stories woven throughout.
Beyond the performances, the special shines a light on Parton’s philanthropy. A portion of proceeds benefits Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the nonprofit she founded in 1995 that provides free books to children around the world, with the CMA and Belmont both contributing to the cause.
Watching is easy even without cable. The special streams on Disney+ and Hulu, and cord-cutters can use free trials from DirecTV and Fubo to catch it live. So grab your favorite Dolly era, from“Jolene”to“9 to 5,”and settle in. Which Dolly song means the most to you? Let us know in the comments.
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Local Lawton
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