CMA Sets Dolly Parton Tribute for Oct. 21 on ABC — SkimNews
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- CMA announced "I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton," a live two-hour special airing Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 9 pm on ABC, available next day on Hulu and on Disney+ internationally
- Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville will host the filming under a continuing strategic partnership between CMA and the university
- Robert Deaton serves as executive producer of the tribute to Parton, who died Aug. 25 at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer
- CMA and Belmont University will donate proceeds from the special to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, with Disney also supporting the charity that gifts free books monthly to millions of children
- Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO, framed the tribute as a responsibility, saying the country music industry owes Parton "a debt of gratitude that words alone cannot repay"
- Dr. Greg Jones, Belmont president, cited Parton's "creativity, generosity, entrepreneurial spirit" as aligning with Belmont's mission, noting the university previously partnered with her on the 2025 world premiere of "Dolly: A True Original Musical" and the launch of Dolly U
Why it matters: Roughly two months after Parton's Aug. 25 death at 80, country music's flagship organization is dedicating primetime ABC airtime to her legacy and routing special proceeds to Imagination Library — the children's literacy charity she personally championed — while Disney adds its own support, effectively turning the tribute into a fundraising vehicle for her signature philanthropic cause.
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