Dolly’s Songs, Country’s Biggest Stars and a $1 Million Gift: Our Favorite Moments From CMA’s Tribute
Some songbooks were made for a night like this.
“CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton” brought together country superstars, powerhouse vocalists and bluegrass greats for a celebration with plenty of reasons to reach for the remote, and the tissues.
The lineup alone was enough to get fans talking. Ashley McBryde singing “Coat of Many Colors”? Ella Langley taking on “Jolene”? Reba McEntire backed by the Belmont Singers? That is appointment television.
But the biggest takeaway reached well beyond the stage.
Following the special, CMA announced that its commitment alongside Belmont University, The Walt Disney Company and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp resulted in a combined $1 million donation to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Here are the performances that made this celebration one to remember.
Ashley McBryde and “Coat of Many Colors”: A Perfect Match
There is a reason “Coat of Many Colors” continues to find its way into people’s hearts. Dolly took a childhood memory and made it a lasting reminder of love, dignity and the things money cannot buy.
Putting that story in Ashley McBryde’s hands was an inspired choice. McBryde’s own connection to country storytelling makes this pairing especially meaningful: an artist who understands the power of everyday details honoring one of the finest examples the genre has ever produced.
Sometimes the smartest tribute starts with choosing the right storyteller.
Ella Langley Takes On the Mighty “Jolene”
Taking on “Jolene” comes with expectations. Those opening notes alone have generations of fans ready to lean in.
Ella Langley stepping into that song made for one of the night’s most intriguing combinations. Her place among country’s rising stars gave the selection an added significance: another generation finding its way into Dolly’s world.
And what a world to enter. Decades later, “Jolene” still has the urgency, tension and instantly recognizable identity that artists spend entire careers chasing.
Lainey Wilson, Bluegrass Heavyweights and a Different Side of Dolly
Dolly’s catalog goes considerably deeper than the biggest radio staples, and the special made room for that range.
Lainey Wilson’s “Train, Train,” featuring Béla Fleck, Ricky Skaggs and Molly Tuttle, was a particularly exciting lineup on a night already overflowing with talent. Vince Gill also joined those three musicians for “A Few Old Memories,” giving Dolly’s roots an essential place in the celebration.
Wilson returned alongside Lukas Nelson for “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” a song whose title alone carries enough feeling to stop you in your tracks.
Between those selections, fans got a reminder of just how much musical territory Dolly’s career covers.
“9 to 5” and “Islands in the Stream” Bring the Singalong Favorites
A Dolly celebration needs a little room to have fun.
Carly Pearce and Kristin Chenoweth teaming up for “9 to 5” supplied one of the bill’s most irresistible pairings. Country meets Broadway on an anthem practically built for a roomful of people to join in? Yes, please.
Lady A taking on “Islands in the Stream” offered another welcome dose of familiarity. These are songs fans know in their bones, the kind that turn a television special into a living-room singalong.
Reba, Carrie and Songs That Carry Serious Weight
Reba McEntire performing “He’s Alive” with the Belmont Singers was among the evening’s most compelling selections. It gave the celebration space for the faith that runs through so much of Dolly’s music.
Then came a finale with a title that said everything.
Carrie Underwood, joined by the full cast, closed with “I Will Always Love You.” For a celebration bearing those words, bringing everyone together on that song was a fitting final gesture: one extraordinary songwriter’s work connecting an entire stage of artists.
The Biggest Moment Went Beyond the Music
For all that star power, the $1 million donation may be the night’s most meaningful headline.
Dolly launched the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee in 1995, inspired by her father’s inability to read and write. That personal motivation became a mission to help children discover books, build a love of reading and imagine bigger futures.
Supporting that work gave this celebration a lasting purpose. Long after the final song, its impact can continue in the hands of a child opening a book.
That feels wonderfully Dolly: bring people together with music, then give them a reason to carry that love forward.
“CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton” is now available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
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