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Ella Langley has spent much of 2026 making country music history but on Wednesday night (October 21st), she was honouring one of the women who helped inspire so many who came before, and undoubtably after. Taking to the stage to perform ‘Jolene’ at the CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton TV special, Langley paid tribute to a woman she has long admired, not just for her music, but for the way she built her career on her own terms.
Langley joined some of country music's biggest names at Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, delivering her own version of Parton's 1973 classic, which remains one of the most recognisable songs in country music more than 50 years after its release. It was a fitting choice for someone whose name has arguably become the most recognised name in country music this year.
Langley was introduced by Katy Perry, who spoke about Parton's kindness, confidence and the example she'd set for generations of female artists. "For me, Dolly is the blueprint," Perry told the audience, explaining that Parton had shown women they could be both strong and kind without compromising who they were. And it's something Langley herself has spoken about before, and those who have seen her show or follow her socials will agree she’s living out that ideology.
During an interview with MusicRow in August 2024, when discussing the importance of staying true to herself as an artist, Langley singled out Parton as someone she'd always looked up to.
"Everyone's journey is so different. There's not a rule book, but I look up to people like Dolly Parton," she explained, going on to praise the way Parton had achieved so much throughout her career whilst remaining authentic to herself and the music she wanted to make. It's a message Langley clearly took to heart, having built her own career around making the music she loves, rather than trying to fit into a particular mould.
Wednesday wasn't the first time she'd chosen 'Jolene' to honour the late country legend. Just days after Parton's passing on August 25, Langley performed the song at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama, telling the crowd: "Tonight's show didn't feel right without doing something like this." She also shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, thanking Parton for everything she'd done for women in the music industry, not just as a singer, but as a songwriter, musician, producer and creative.
"You paved the way for so many to be brave," she wrote. "Thank you for being unafraid to show your most authentic self."
And whilst Langley and Parton grew up decades apart, both found their love of music through their families. For Langley, it was her grandparents' home in Alabama where music became such an important part of her childhood. She's spoken about spending hours singing there, with a grandfather who could play instruments by ear and a grandmother who loved to sing. Her very first guitar even belonged to her grandfather. Parton similarly grew up surrounded by music in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, where singing and storytelling were part of everyday family life, long before Nashville came calling. That love of traditional country storytelling is something Langley has continued to champion throughout her career.
"I love story songs," she reflected in that same 2024 interview, explaining that she wanted to bring more of that tradition back into country music. And there aren't many better examples than Jolene.
Now, Langley is writing her own chapter in country music history. Her hit ‘Choosin Texas’ broke Billboard's all time Hot 100 record in September, while she heads into November's CMA Awards with a leading nine nominations, including her first for Entertainer of the Year.
Wednesday's celebration brought together generations of artists, including Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown and Lainey Wilson, all honouring the woman whose influence stretches far beyond country music.
And whilst Parton may no longer be here to see the next generation of female country artists making their own history, her influence is clearly still being felt. As Langley herself put it following her passing: "The world needed Dolly and will never see another like it."
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