CMA Lineup Revealed for Dolly Parton Tribute Special

A Star-Studded Farewell Takes Shape

Twenty performers are booked, including Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker, Lady A, Little Big Town, Zac Brown, Ashley McBryde and Lukas Nelson, according to Variety. The special airs live Oct. 21 from Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville.

SourcesVariety

Why the Lineup Reaches Beyond Country

What devotees will find striking is the genre spread the outlets describe. Rolling Stone highlights bluegrass great Béla Fleck, Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth and actress-singer Kristen Bell among the performers, speaking to what that publication calls Parton's vast influence. Amy Grant and Kimberly Williams-Paisley join as non-performing special guests, per Variety and AOL.

SourcesAOL.com Rolling Stone

Belmont's 'Dolly U' and Surprise Guests

An ensemble of Belmont University music students will perform in recognition of the university's ongoing "Dolly U" programming, which rova reports seeks to engage students in learning from Parton's career, artistry and entrepreneurial legacy. The venue carries its own resonance: Variety notes Parton's "Dolly" musical played its sole pre-Broadway run there in fall 2025, with the singer closely involved backstage. Organizers tell outlets additional surprise tributes from Parton's friends will appear throughout the broadcast, and tickets to attend in person are already on sale.

SourcesVariety rova

The Evidence: Broadcast and Streaming Plan

The logistics are corroborated across the pack. ET on ABC and Disney+, then lands on Hulu the following day, per AOL, Rolling Stone and Geo News. Longtime CMA Awards producer Robert Deaton will executive produce, Variety reports. The Sunday Guardian adds that fans watching the broadcast will receive digital links to contribute directly to Parton's foundation, and quotes CMA CEO Sarah Trahern: "Dolly Parton belonged to the whole world, but she was born of this industry."

SourcesVariety That Grape Juice The Sunday Guardian

The Stakes: Proceeds Feed the Imagination Library

The tribute carries a philanthropic mission tied to Parton's lifelong commitment to childhood literacy. The CMA and Belmont University have pledged a donation from show proceeds to Parton's Imagination Library, which AOL reports distributes more than 3.4 million free books per month to children in the U.S. and abroad as of 2025. Parton herself framed the program's meaning to PEOPLE in 2022, saying she was "proud of the Imagination Library as much as anything I've ever done in my life."

SourcesVariety AOL.com

Nashville's Posthumous Dolly Moment

The special lands amid a wave of memorial activity in Nashville. Variety reports that Parton's SongTeller Hotel and an adjacent museum have just opened downtown, and Rolling Stone frames the broadcast as one of the biggest full-show, multi-artist tributes yet, following the Grand Ole Opry's tribute show and Kacey Musgraves' MTV VMAs homage. With surprise guests still unannounced, devotees will watch Oct. 21 closely for further reveals.

SourcesVariety Rolling Stone

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