Dolly Parton Tribute Special 2026: Date, Time, Channel, Tickets & Performers

CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton will air live from Nashville on ABC and Disney+ in October.

Written by Amanda Tempel

Date Published: September 16, 2026

The Country Music Association will celebrate the life, music, and legacy of Dolly Parton with a two-hour live television special this fall.

CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton will air live Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University in Nashville.

The tribute follows Parton’s passing on August 25 and will bring together performances, archival footage, and personal stories celebrating her career and impact on country music and beyond.

Dolly Parton Tribute Special Quick Facts

Official title: CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Time: 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET
Channel: ABC
Streaming: Disney+
Next-day streaming: Hulu
Location: Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University in Nashville
Performers: To be announced
Tickets: Details to be announced

When Is the Dolly Parton Tribute Special?

CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton will air Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET.

The two-hour event will be broadcast live from Nashville.

How to Watch the Dolly Parton Tribute Special

The Dolly Parton tribute will air live on ABC and stream on Disney+ beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET on October 21.

The special will also be available to stream on Hulu the following day.

Who Is Performing on the Dolly Parton Tribute Special?

CMA has not yet announced the performers for I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton.

Additional details, including the artists taking part in the tribute, are expected to be announced in the weeks leading up to the broadcast.

This page will be updated as performers are confirmed.

How to Get Tickets to the Dolly Parton Tribute

Ticket information has not yet been announced.

CMA is offering fans the opportunity to sign up for ticketing updates ahead of the October 21 special. More information about ticket availability will be announced at a later date.

Where Is the Dolly Parton Tribute Being Filmed?

The special will be filmed live at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Belmont has several connections to Parton. The Fisher Center hosted the 2025 world premiere of DOLLY: A True Original Musical, and the university also partnered with Parton to launch DOLLY U, an educational program providing students with hands-on experience in entertainment, media, and other creative industries.

What Will the Dolly Parton Tribute Include?

CMA says the television special will celebrate Parton through live performances, archival footage, and personal stories chronicling her life and career.

Parton’s influence stretched from country music and songwriting to film, television, business, and philanthropy.

“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. “As the organization built to serve and celebrate Country Music, honoring her legacy is not just an opportunity, it is our responsibility. This special is our way of saying thank you, on behalf of every artist, industry member and fan who found a piece of themselves in her music.”

Robert Deaton will serve as executive producer of the television special.

Tribute Will Support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

The tribute will also support one of Parton’s best-known philanthropic efforts.

CMA and Belmont University will make a donation from proceeds from the special to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Disney is also supporting the organization and its mission.

Parton launched the Imagination Library in 1995 in her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee. The program provides free books each month to children from birth to age five and has distributed more than 300 million books since its founding.

More Dolly Parton Tribute Details Coming Soon

CMA plans to announce additional information about I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, including performers, tickets, and additional partners, ahead of the October 21 broadcast.

Check back for updates as additional details about the Dolly Parton tribute special are announced.

Photo Credit: CMA