Ella Langley took the stage in Nashville on Wednesday night to sing Dolly Parton's "Jolene" at a live CMA tribute to the late country icon. The special aired live Oct. 21 on ABC and Disney+ from Belmont University. Langley stood alone at center stage with a full band and singers, while a photo of Parton from the "Jolene" era was shown behind her.
It wasn't Langley's first tribute. She sang "Jolene" at her Auburn, Alabama, concert shortly after Parton's death, telling the crowd the show didn't feel right without doing something like it. She has called Parton a seminal influence.
In her social media tribute after Parton's death, Langley thanked her for standing up for herself as an artist, songwriter and woman in the industry, and wrote, "The gates of heaven just welcomed home a beautiful soul."
The two-hour special also featured Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Lainey Wilson and more. Amy Grant and Vince Gill were among those on the red carpet. Parton died Aug. 25 at age 80.
ABC reported that the special raised $1 million for Parton's Imagination Library, a book-gifting program for children. The show is available to stream on Hulu.
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