Carrie Underwood led the finale of the CMA’s Dolly Parton tribute with “I Will Always Love You,” joined by the special’s full cast.
The performance closed CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, which aired on October 21 from Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville. Underwood’s role was the evening’s closing tribute rather than the announcement of a new studio single or album release.
iHeart’s report on the broadcast notes that Vince Gill introduced Underwood before the finale, emphasizing Parton’s ability to connect with people across generations and backgrounds. The full cast joined the closing performance, making the ending a shared tribute rather than an isolated solo appearance.
The song already carries a history that reaches beyond any one performer: Parton wrote it in 1973, and it appeared on her 1974 album Jolene. Her official archive also traces Whitney Houston’s version to the 1992 Bodyguard soundtrack, explaining why the composition connects country and pop audiences without making the two recordings interchangeable.
Underwood was part of a broader program that included Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson, Kelsea Ballerini and Brad Paisley, alongside other country performers. The lineup also brought in artists such as Kristen Bell, Kristin Chenoweth, Béla Fleck and Sierra Hull, reflecting a celebration that extended beyond one style of performance or one generation of artists.
The event also had a concrete charitable result: CMA, Belmont University, The Walt Disney Company and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced a combined $1 million donation to Imagination Library. Parton launched the book-gifting program in 1995, and its model provides enrolled children with a free book each month from birth to age five.
The full special aired live on ABC and Disney+, with Hulu’s release following on October 22, giving viewers a next-day route to the complete broadcast. The finale excerpt sits within that larger program of performances and tributes, while the donation connects the musical celebration to a continuing children’s literacy initiative.
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