Little Big Town Stuns With “Light Of A Clear Blue Morning” During Dolly Parton Tribute
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Just a few weeks after Dolly Parton’s death on August 25, the Country Music Association announced a two-hour television special celebrating her life and legacy.
The tribute, titled CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, aired live from Belmont University’s Fisher Center on Wednesday night, October 21.
During the broadcast, viewers saw archival footage, heard stories from those closest to Parton, and watched a long lineup of talented artists perform in the country legend’s honor.
The stars who graced the stage during the evening included Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs, Lainey Wilson, Amy Grant, Kristen Bell, Ashley McBryde, Zac Brown, Sierra Hull, Lukas Nelson, Ella Langley, Belmont Singers, Kelsea Ballerini, Molly Tuttle, Béla Fleck, Carly Pearce, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Lady A, Darius Rucker, Kristen Chenoweth, and Little Big Town.
For Little Big Town, Parton wasn’t just someone they looked up to. Of course, she was an inspiration for them, just like she has been to millions of others, but they also had the pleasure of calling her a friend.
Little Big Town and Dolly Parton performed together a few times over the years. One of their most talked-about collaborations came at the 2019 Grammy Awards, when they joined Parton for an all-star tribute.
Kimberly Schlapman even named her child after the country legend. In 2017, she and her husband adopted a little girl and named her Dolly Grace.
Whenever Parton saw her, she would lovingly ask, “How’s my Dolly?”
Little Big Town Sings “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” In Honor Of Dolly Parton
For their performance, Little Big Town sang Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.”
Parton first released the country-pop ballad in 1977 on her album New Harvest… First Gathering. The song marked a new chapter in her life, coming shortly after her professional split from Porter Wagoner, which led to a lengthy and complicated legal battle between the two.
Over the years, Parton recorded the song four times. Her most recent version came in January 2026, when she teamed up with Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, Queen Latifah, and Reba McEntire to raise money for pediatric cancer research.
The band’s members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook all stood on stage together as they sang a beautiful rendition of Parton’s song.
Just from their voices alone, you could tell how much Parton meant to all of them. You can watch a portion of Little Big Town’s tribute to Dolly Parton in the video clip below.
