Sabrina Carpenter honored Dolly Parton during CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, a two-hour television special that aired October 21 on ABC and Disney+. Through a recorded tribute, the pop star reflected on the country legend’s warmth, humor, and extraordinary ability to connect with audiences across generations.
Parton died on August 25, at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer. The Nashville event, filmed at Belmont University, brought together musicians, actors, and cultural figures to celebrate her life and legacy through live performances, archival footage, and personal remembrances. Among those paying tribute were Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, and Bono, alongside artists from the country music community.
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Sabrina Carpenter’s contribution carried a personal significance beyond her admiration for Dolly Parton’s career. The two singers collaborated in early 2025 on a country remix of Carpenter’s hit “Please Please Please,” released as part of the deluxe edition of Short n’ Sweet. Parton requested a cleaned-up version of the song’s explicit language, and the pair later appeared together in its music video.
During the special, Sabrina Carpenter described what Parton represented to her with a series of qualities that captured the singer’s unmistakable personality. “She meant lightness,” Carpenter said, before listing “kindness, joy, quick comebacks, rhinestones, big hair, family, radiance, and love.”
Sabrina also reflected on Dolly Parton’s rare place in popular culture, emphasizing how widely she was admired across different audiences and generations. She described the singer as “one of the only people on planet Earth that everyone could universally agree on, which I think is very special in any artist. But there’s nobody like Dolly.”
Following Parton’s death, Sabrina Carpenter also shared a heartfelt message recalling their conversations and the advice she hoped to carry with her. She remembered Parton as “an angel walking the earth” and wrote that she would cherish their laughter, her playful outlook on life, and her sense of humor. Carpenter closed the message by recognizing the enduring power of Parton’s artistry: “There will never be another you.”
That legacy is reflected in a catalog that includes “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “I Will Always Love You,” songs that have traveled across genres and generations.
Photo: Aiden Magarian
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