Dolly Parton Tribute Specials Set on CBS, CMT
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CBS and Paramount's CMT are broadcasting a series of tribute programmes following the death of country music legend Dolly Parton, who passed away in Nashville on 25 August 2026 at the age of 80. The centrepiece is the CBS News special "Dolly Parton – An American Icon", airing the same evening from 10-11pm ET/PT and streaming on Paramount+, with Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil and Anthony Mason leading coverage that draws on the network's archive and reporting from Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
The CBS special will feature archive interviews including a 2009 "60 Minutes" conversation with Morley Safer and a 2023 "Person-To-Person" interview with Norah O'Donnell, alongside fresh commentary from country music stars and those close to Parton. CMT, CMT Music and Equal Play on Pluto TV are airing her music videos from Tuesday through Wednesday morning, with a further "CMT Remembers" special and a broadcast of her film "Steel Magnolias" planned for later in the week. Parton's family announced her death via her official Instagram, with a video from her nephew Bryan Seaver and an obituary praising her "seven-decade career" and lasting philanthropic legacy.
- Dolly Parton died aged 80 in Nashville on 25 August 2026
- CBS airs "An American Icon" tribute special tonight, streaming on Paramount+
- CMT to air music videos, a "Remembers" special and "Steel Magnolias"
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Country and pop singer Dolly Parton died in Nashville, Tennessee, on 25 August 2026, aged 80, after a career spanning around seven decades. Known for songs including "Jolene" and "9 to 5", she was also the driving force behind the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and was widely recognised for her charitable work, including a long-running child literacy programme.
Following her death, US broadcasters CBS and CMT (part of Paramount) are running a series of tribute programmes in her honour. These include a CBS News special presented by familiar network faces, drawing on archive interviews and new interviews with people who knew her, as well as extended coverage of her music videos and films across CMT's channels.
The tributes matter because they reflect the scale of Parton's standing in American culture, spanning music, television and philanthropy, and mark how major broadcasters are choosing to mark the loss of a figure many considered a national icon.
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