Carly Pearce and Kristin Chenoweth Bring the Energy With a Memorable “9 to 5” Tribute to Dolly Parton
Carly Pearce and Kristin Chenoweth teamed up for an upbeat performance of Dolly Parton’s iconic song “9 to 5” during a star-studded CMA television special celebrating the country music legend. The performance blended humor, personal memories and a lively musical tribute to one of Dolly’s most recognizable hits.
The two-hour event, CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, aired on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, bringing together artists from country music, bluegrass and Broadway to honor Dolly’s extraordinary career. The special is now available to stream on Hulu.
A Star-Studded Celebration of Dolly Parton
Organized by the Country Music Association (CMA) and ABC, the televised celebration featured a wide range of performances honoring Dolly’s influence on music and entertainment. Highlights included Reba McEntire performing the gospel classic “He’s Alive” and a bluegrass tribute featuring Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Molly Tuttle and Béla Fleck.
The event also supported a cause close to Dolly’s heart. Proceeds will benefit Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, her book-gifting initiative that provides free books to children from birth through age five.
Operated by The Dollywood Foundation, the program has grown into the world’s leading early childhood book-gifting organization, encouraging a love of reading among young children and their families.
Among the evening’s standout moments was the appearance of Carly Pearce, whose connection to Dolly stretches back to her childhood.
Carly Pearce’s Longstanding Connection With Dolly
Dolly Parton has played a meaningful role in Carly’s life and career for years. When Carly was just 16, she was performing at Dollywood in Tennessee when she met the country superstar for the first time.
That early encounter developed into a lasting admiration for Dolly, whose music Carly has celebrated throughout her own career. Their connection reached another milestone in 2021, when Dolly personally invited Carly to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
The invitation was a major moment for Carly, and the Opry announced the news in June of that year, with her official induction scheduled for August 3.
Ahead of the October 21 tribute, Carly revisited those memories on Instagram Stories. She shared a throwback image of herself with Dolly, alongside a childhood photo of herself at the Dollywood sign — a reminder of how long the country icon had been an inspiration to her.
Carly Pearce and Kristin Chenoweth Share a Funny Moment
Before launching into “9 to 5,” Carly took the stage alongside Kristin Chenoweth to reflect on Dolly’s influence on their lives and careers.
Carly spoke about how much she had admired Dolly’s signature appearance while growing up.
“From the beginning, I always wanted to look just like her: the makeup, the shoes, the clothes, the hair,” she said.
She then gestured toward herself and delivered a self-deprecating punchline: “But I just didn’t have … the assets.”
Kristin quickly joined in with a playful response, joking that Dolly had described her own attributes as “shock” and “awe,” while Carly could call hers “dumb” and “dumber.”
The exchange brought humor to the tribute while highlighting the unmistakable personality and glamorous image that have long made Dolly a distinctive figure in country music.
The Story Behind “9 to 5”
After sharing their memories, Carly and Kristin turned their attention to the song at the center of their performance.
Released as the theme song for the hit 1980 film 9 to 5, Dolly’s song became closely associated with women’s experiences in the workplace. Its memorable rhythm and message helped make it one of her best-known recordings.
Carly also shared an interesting detail about how the song came together. Dolly reportedly noticed that the clicking sound of her long acrylic fingernails resembled the sound of a typewriter. That observation helped inspire the distinctive rhythm that became part of the song’s identity.
With a cityscape inspired by the film 9 to 5 decorating the stage behind them, Carly and Kristin delivered an energetic rendition of the beloved classic.
Their performance offered a fitting tribute to Dolly Parton’s creativity, humor and enduring influence — while Carly’s personal memories added another layer of meaning to a celebration honoring the woman who had inspired her since she was a young girl.