CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton came to a breathtaking close with a soaring all-star performance of Dolly’s iconic hit, “I Will Always Love You,” celebrating the extraordinary legacy of the beloved country music legend.
Carrie Underwood led an incredible gathering of artists, joined by Ashley McBryde, Béla Fleck, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker, Ella Langley, Kelsea Ballerini, Kristin Chenoweth, Katy Perry, Lady A, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Lukas Nelson, Molly Tuttle, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Sierra Hull, Vince Gill, Zac Brown, Amy Grant, and many more.
Vince Gill introduced the breathtaking performance, which proved to be a standout moment of the evening. Dressed in a white ball gown adorned with butterfly embellishments, Underwood began the performance solo at center stage, with a massive black-and-white photograph of Parton filling the beautifully decorated stage backdrop.
“If I should stay/ I would only be in your way/ So I’ll go, but I know/ I’ll think of you each step of the way,” Underwood sang in the opening verse before going into the chorus with her powerhouse vocals being put on full display, “And I will always love you/ I will always love you.”
Underwood continued with the song’s emotional closing verse, singing, “I hope life treats you kind / And I hope that you have all that you ever dreamed of / And I wish you joy and happiness / But above all of this, I wish you love,” before the star-studded lineup of artists joined her onstage for a powerful final chorus. As the voices came together in a breathtaking tribute to Parton, the emotional performance culminated in a goosebump-inducing finale that celebrated the life and legacy of one of country music’s most beloved icons.
CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton also featured heartfelt tribute performances from Ashley McBryde, Béla Fleck, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Ella Langley, Kelsea Ballerini, Kristin Chenoweth, Lady A, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Lukas Nelson, Molly Tuttle, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Sierra Hull, Vince Gill and Zac Brown, with special appearances by Amy Grant, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Bono of U2, Carol Burnett, Goldie Hawn, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey and more.
The two-hour television special aired live on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from 9 to 11 p.m. ET (8 to 10 p.m. CT) on ABC and Disney+, bringing together a star-studded lineup in front of a live audience at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, Tennessee. The event will also be made available to stream on Hulu on Thursday, October 22.
The celebration comes nearly two months after the passing of Dolly Parton, who died on August 25 at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer. Born on January 19, 1946, in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, Parton rose from humble beginnings to become one of country music’s most celebrated singer-songwriters, known for timeless hits such as “9 to 5,” “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” as well as her distinctive voice, ability to unite people through music and generous spirit.
CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton also highlighted Parton’s extraordinary career, enduring influence on country music and remarkable philanthropic legacy, including her work with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
A portion of the event’s proceeds benefited the organization, which provides free books to children from birth to age 5.
