The Grand Ole Opry is preparing to say goodbye to one of its most beloved members, and Dolly Parton fans around the world will be able to watch the special tribute from home.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, the Opry will dedicate its Saturday night show to Parton, honoring the country legend’s extraordinary life, music and legacy. The celebration comes 67 years after Parton made her unforgettable Opry debut at just 13 years old and earned three encores.
“This Saturday night, we honor a true icon,” the Opry announced ahead of the show. “This show will be dedicated to Dolly Parton, recognizing her extraordinary life, legacy, and contributions to country music.”
Here’s everything you need to know about when the Dolly Parton tribute starts and how to watch it live.
What Time Does the Dolly Parton Grand Ole Opry Tribute Start?
The Grand Ole Opry’s special Dolly Parton tribute livestream begins Saturday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
The Opry confirmed the start time in a Facebook event Friday, inviting fans to “tune in Saturday, August 29 at 8/7c pm” for the special livestream honoring Parton.
The show will take place at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, but fans don’t need a ticket or a trip to Music City to join in the celebration.
Related: Dolly Parton’s Final Message to Millions of Children Is Breaking Hearts After Her Death: ‘Promise Me’
How Can You Watch the Dolly Parton Grand Ole Opry Tribute?
Fans can watch the special show live beginning at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on the Opry’s Facebook and YouTube channels and through digital streaming partners Circle Country and RFD-TV. The livestream is also embedded above in this post.
The livestream means Parton fans around the world can join the Opry in celebrating her life and extraordinary career from home.
Who Is Performing at the Dolly Parton Grand Ole Opry Tribute?
The evening will feature music and storytelling from an announced lineup that includes Carly Pearce, Channing Wilson, Kathy Mattea, Molly Tuttle, Dan Tyminski, T. Graham Brown, the Opry Square Dancers and Belle Frantz making her Opry debut, which is apropos because Frantz is a rising country star who has major Dolly vibes.
But those won’t necessarily be the only familiar faces viewers see. The Opry is also teasing appearances by “guest Opry stars” during what it describes as an “unforgettable evening of music and storytelling honoring the one and only Dolly.”
Pearce has an especially poignant connection to Parton. The country singer got an early start in her career performing at Dollywood, and Parton later surprised Pearce with an invitation to become an official Grand Ole Opry member.
Why Is the Grand Ole Opry Honoring Dolly Parton?
Parton’s relationship with the Grand Ole Opry began all the way back in 1959, when Johnny Cash introduced the then-13-year-old singer to the audience as “a little girl from East Tennessee.”
Parton performed George Jones’ “You Gotta Be My Baby” that night and made quite an impression: She was brought back for three encores.
“The crowds loved her from the first note,” the Opry recalled in its remembrance of Parton. “And they never stopped.”
Ten years later, in 1969, Parton achieved one of her childhood dreams when she became an official Grand Ole Opry member. She remained a member for the next 57 years and ultimately performed on the Opry more than 100 times.
Following Parton’s death, Dan Rogers, Senior Vice President and Executive Producer of the Grand Ole Opry, reflected on just how deeply she was woven into the institution.
“Every member of the Grand Ole Opry family has a Dolly story, as does everyone around the world who was ever in her orbit,” Rogers said. “That’s just one of the things that made her so special.”
Rogers recalled how Parton used more than five decades of success as an Opry member to bring joy to millions and inspire generations of artists. He also remembered her remarkable ability to make the people she encountered feel “like the most important person in the room.”
“Her impact will live on forever as we all carry forward the kindness, compassion, and generosity she shared throughout her life,” Rogers continued.
And he ended his tribute with a simple message to the late country legend.
“Dolly always knew exactly what to say,” Rogers said. “I’m afraid the best I have on this terribly sad day is a genuine, heartfelt, ‘Thank you for everything, Dolly. We sure do love you.’”
Parton herself once described just how much the Opry meant to her, calling it “the church of my heart.”
“For me, the Opry is like the song ‘New York, New York,’” she once said. “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.”
The Dolly Parton Tribute Will Also Benefit Her Imagination Library
Saturday night’s tribute won’t only celebrate Parton’s music. It will also help continue one of the causes closest to her heart.
The Grand Ole Opry says a portion of ticket sales from the Aug. 29 show will be donated to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the children’s literacy program Parton founded in 1995.
What began as an effort to provide books to children in her native East Tennessee eventually grew into an international program. According to the Opry, the Imagination Library has now distributed more than 300 million free books to children.
The program became an especially poignant part of Parton’s legacy following her death, when a final message she left for Imagination Library families took on new meaning.
Saturday’s show will bring the celebration of Parton’s life back to a place that helped launch her career nearly seven decades ago.
“Dolly’s love is like a butterfly—a rare and gentle thing—one whose effect will be felt for generations,” the Opry wrote in its remembrance.
The Grand Ole Opry’s Dolly Parton tribute livestream begins Saturday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on the Opry’s Facebook and YouTube channels, with additional streaming available through Circle Country and RFD-TV.
Related: Hours After Dolly Parton’s Death, Tropical Storm Dolly Began Forming in the Atlantic