The Country Music Association will honor Dolly Parton with a live two-hour television special titled CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton.
The special airs Wednesday, October 21, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ internationally, with next-day availability on Hulu.
It will be filmed live at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville. The evening is described as a joyful celebration of Parton’s life as an artist, songwriter, entertainer, humanitarian and entrepreneur, featuring performances, archival footage and personal stories.
Parton died in August at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer. CMA CEO Sarah Trahern called the tribute a responsibility and a way of saying thank you on behalf of the industry and fans.
Executive producer Robert Deaton will oversee the project. In conjunction with the special, CMA and Belmont University will donate a portion of proceeds to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Additional performer details are expected in the coming weeks.
