The Dolly Parton Tribute Special: How to Watch the CMA’s Celebration Live Online explains where to stream “CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton,” a two-hour televised tribute that aired Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.
The special, which the Country Music Association produced with Belmont University, was filmed at Belmont’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville and aired 9–11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ in the U.S., with the program available the following day on Hulu, according to Variety and CelebrityAccess.
The lineup included country stars and cross‑genre guests such as Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson and Kelsea Ballerini, with additional appearances from Broadway and bluegrass artists; CelebrityAccess and iHeart reported the full roster and noted a Belmont student ensemble will take part.
CMA said the two-hour live event was presented as “I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton.” The broadcast ran live on ABC and Disney+ and, per the CMA announcement reproduced in coverage, will be available on Hulu the next day for viewers who missed the live airing.
Tickets were sold for the live audience at Belmont’s Fisher Center; outlets covering the event noted the show was filmed before a crowd and produced by Robert Deaton, with the CMA and Belmont planning a donation from proceeds to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and with Disney also supporting the program.
Who performed and what viewers can expect
The special mixed career-spanning tributes and surprise guest appearances, according to the CMA lineup reported by CelebrityAccess and iHeart. Performers named in reports include Little Big Town, Vince Gill, Zac Brown, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Béla Fleck and Amy Grant among others.
Variety and other outlets listed Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson and Kelsea Ballerini as headline tributes; the program was described as spanning country, bluegrass and Broadway voices tracing Parton’s career.
How to stream and watch after the broadcast
Viewers in the U.S. could watch the Dolly Parton tribute live on ABC or stream it on Disney+ at 9 p.m. ET; Variety and CelebrityAccess both noted Hulu will carry the special the following day for on‑demand viewing.
If you missed the live show, check Hulu the next day or ABC’s streaming options through Disney+; the CMA and broadcast partners provided those distribution details in the promotional materials cited by the outlets we reviewed.
For more about the Country Music Association and its broadcast projects, see Country Music Association reveals 2026 Broadcast Awards finalists, and for other music livestreams and festival streams, see iHeartRadio Music Festival 2026 — how to watch the stream for free (Billboard).
Sources
- Variety — air time, platforms and basic how-to-watch details
- CelebrityAccess — performer lineup, Belmont venue and donation details
- iHeart — announced performers and CMA statement about the tribute
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