The Boot News Roundup: Dolly Parton TV Special Coming to ABC + More
Welcome to The Boot's News Roundup, a morning rundown of the news country music fans need to know. Read on to learn more about the latest goings-on in the country, Americana, bluegrass and folk genres.
Dolly Parton will be the subject of a new TV special, set to air in the days leading up to the 2019 CMA Awards. According to Sounds Like Nashville, Dolly Parton: Here She Comes Again will be co-hosted by Parton and news anchor Robin Roberts, and will follow Parton through her childhood home and Dollywood theme park in Tennessee before a conversation takes place between the two media icons. Dolly Parton: Here She Comes Again is set to air on ABC on Tuesday (Nov. 12) at 10PM ET, one night before the 53rd annual CMA Awards. -- AM
Sam Hunt will perform at the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series Awards Banquet, set for Dec. 5 in Nashville; the singer will share his newest single, "Kinfolks," at the big event. Hunt joins co-host Cassadee Pope and an as-yet-unannounced lineup of additional performers for the awards show, which is part of NASCAR's 2019 Champions Week. NASCAR's week of festivities in Nashville will also include a Grand Ole Opry performance on Dec. 3 that'll be "infused with NASCAR flavor." -- AM
Country singer JT Hodges stars in a brand-new Lifetime TV channel Christmas movie debuting this holiday season. In Christmas Stars, an aspiring R&B artist named Layla (played by Erica Durance) meets Spence, an amateur songwriter (Hodges), and her dream of landing a record deal seems closer than ever; however, life in the music business -- and the fact that label executives see Spence as the star of the team -- threatens to change their relationship as the holidays approach. The movie, which will premiere on Dec. 13 at 8PM ET, will also feature new Christmas music from Hodges. -- AS