CMA honors Dolly Parton in Nashville with performances and $1 million donation
Country artists performed Parton’s songs at an October 21 tribute at Belmont University’s Fisher Center, while organizers announced a combined gift to her Imagination Library.
The Country Music Association held a tribute to Dolly Parton on October 21 at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University in Nashville, bringing artists together to perform her songs. Billboard reported that the organizers also announced a combined $1 million donation to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library after the event.
The program, titled “I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton,” featured Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Ella Langley, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Kristin Chenoweth, Lady A and Darius Rucker, among others, according to Billboard. Business Insider also reported on performers’ red-carpet outfits, describing looks inspired by Parton’s style.
Which Dolly Parton songs were performed
Billboard reported that the evening opened with “A Few Old Memories,” performed by Gill, Molly Tuttle, Ricky Skaggs and Bela Fleck. Lady A sang “Islands in the Stream,” the Parton and Kenny Rogers duet. Ella Langley performed “Jolene,” while Ashley McBryde sang “Coat of Many Colors.”
Lainey Wilson and Lukas Nelson teamed up for “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” a song Parton recorded with Rogers. Billboard also reported performances of “9 to 5” by Carly Pearce and Kristin Chenoweth, and “I Will Always Love You” by Carrie Underwood, followed by a group singalong with the evening’s musical cast.
McEntire performed the gospel song “He’s Alive” with Belmont University choral students and received a standing ovation, Billboard reported. The performance recalled Parton’s rendition of the song at the 1989 CMA Awards; McEntire wore a white gown and sang with a choir.
A donation to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Following the tribute, the CMA, Belmont University, The Walt Disney Company and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp said their previously announced commitment to Parton’s Imagination Library had resulted in a combined $1 million donation, according to Billboard. The announcement connected the night’s performances with a gift to the literacy program associated with Parton’s philanthropic work.
The tributes extended beyond the stage. Billboard reported video messages from Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, Sabrina Carpenter, Goldie Hawn and Bono. Business Insider’s account of the red carpet described outfits worn by Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, McEntire, Chenoweth, Underwood, Katy Perry, Langley and Hillary Scott.
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Sources and context
- CMA’s Dolly Parton Tribute: All the Performances, RankedBillboard
- 8 of the best-dressed celebrities at the CMA's Dolly Parton celebrationBusiness Insider
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.