Lukas Nelson & Lainey Wilson Join Forces For Heartfelt Dolly Parton Tribute
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Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson, teamed up with Lainey Wilson to pay tribute to Dolly Parton with an emotional televised performance.
On Wednesday, October 21st, stars gathered in Nashville for CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration Of Dolly Parton. Broadcast live from Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, the program was thoughtfully designed to celebrate Dolly’s life and career through live performances, archival footage, and personal stories.
The stacked lineup for the evening included Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Ashley McBryde, Lady A, Darius Rucker, and many more.
In addition to creating a dedicated time to remember Dolly’s unmatched legacy, a portion of the proceeds from the event went to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the world’s leading early childhood book-gifting program and the flagship initiative of The Dollywood Foundation.
Lukas Nelson Performs “You Can’t Make Old Friends” With Lainey Wilson
Lukas Nelson has country music in his blood. The son of Willie Nelson and Annie D’Angelo, he has been in the company of country music’s greatest since childhood.
Willie and Dolly have been longtime friends and musical collaborators, recording songs together including “Everything’s Beautiful (In Its Own Way)” and “From Here to the Moon and Back.”
Additionally, Lukas described himself as a “disciple of Dolly Parton” in a 2025 interview with TIME. Prior to the show, he shared:
“It’s a great honor to help celebrate somebody who has touched so many lives in a way that I think leaves an impeccable legacy.”
Lukas and Lainey performed a beautiful duet of “You Can’t Make Old Friends.” Dolly released the song with Kenny Rogers on his 2013 album of the same name. It was written by Ryan Hanna King, Don Schlitz, and Caitlyn Smith. The song earned them a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance in 2014.
Watch Lukas Nelson and Lainey Wilson perform “You Can’t Make Old Friends” during CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration Of Dolly Parton below!
