We’ll always love her.
Two months after her death at age 80, the Country Music Association (CMA) is honoring Dolly Parton with a live TV special.
“I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton” will air tonight, Oct. 21, on ABC. It will be filmed live in front of an audience at Nashville’s Belmont University.
Watch ‘I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton’ for free
- When: Oct. 21, 9 p.m. ET
- How to watch for free: DIRECTV (five-day free trial)
- TV Channel: ABC
Musicians across generations and genres will come together to pay tribute to the Country Music Hall of Famer, including close friend Reba McEntire, “Choosin’ Texas” songstress Ella Langley and Carrie Underwood.

In addition to all of the A-listers on stage, a Belmont University student ensemble will also participate in a performance, reflecting the university’s ongoing “Dolly U” programming that seeks to engage students.
When is the CMA Dolly Parton TV special tribute?
The CMA Dolly Parton tribute is tonight, Oct. 21, at 9 p.m. ET.
How to watch CMA’s Dolly Parton tribute live
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream “I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton” for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes ABC as part of its 125+ channel options.
You can also get live ABC with DIRECTV’s MyEntertainment genre pack ($42.99/month), and you won’t have to worry about tuning in live, because the pack also includes Hulu, where the special will begin streaming tomorrow.
Who will appear on the Dolly Parton tribute show?
Ashley McBryde, Béla Fleck, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Ella Langley, Kelsea Ballerini, Kristen Bell, Kristin Chenoweth, Lady A, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Lukas Nelson, Molly Tuttle, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Sierra Hull, Vince Gill and Zac Brown will perform during the tribute show.
Amy Grant and Kimberly Williams-Paisley will join as special guests.
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for the New York Post, Page Six, and Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with information on how to watch all of your favorite reality TV shows and movies on each streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, celebrities and pop culture. Prior to joining The Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews
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