Dolly Parton Gets in the Festive Spirit With CBS Holiday Special, 'A Holly Dolly Christmas' This December

The holidays are going to be a lot more festive this year as it's been announced that Dolly Parton [...]

By Stephen Andrew

The holidays are going to be a lot more festive this year as it's been announced that Dolly Parton is bringing a brand new holiday special, titled A Holly Dolly Christmas, to CBS. The one-hour special is set to air on Sunday, Dec. 6, from 8:30 p.m. ET to 9:30 p.m. ET. In a statement, the legendary country singer expressed her enthusiasm for the festive event. "I am so proud to be a part of the CBS family this holiday season with my new Christmas special," she said.

The special is named for Parton's new, record-breaking No. 1 holiday album A Holly Dolly Christmas, and will feature her performing hymns and holiday classics from an intimate, candlelit set. Parton will also blend in personal Christmas stories and other recollections of the season from her life.

"When Dolly Parton calls and tells you she wants to do a Christmas show, you don't hesitate," said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music & Live Events/Alternative & Reality for CBS. "A special with the multi-Grammy Award-winning, prolific song-writing, epic live performer of all time? She had us at hello. There's only one Dolly Parton, and we are so excited to be bringing her to viewers this holiday season."

A Holly Dolly Christmas marks Parton's first holiday album in three decades and features collaborations with Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Michael Bublé, Jimmy Fallon and Willie Nelson. There is also a duet with Parton's brother Randy Parton. Speaking to Billboard, Parton shared a little bit about her approach to the album and explained where its title came from.

"I thought, 'I think I'll call it A Holly Dolly Christmas because I love the song 'A Holly Jolly Christmas' with Burl Ives," she said. "He used to be on all of my Christmas specials all through the years. I think of him as Mr. Christmas. I thought, 'Why don't do I call it something cute and clever, like that or Deck the Halls with Boughs of Dolly, something corny like that.'"

In addition to the new album and the holiday special, Parton also appears in the upcoming Nextflix film Christmas on the Square. The movie appears to be a loose take on classics like It's a Wonderful Life and Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It stars Christine Baranski as a "wealthy and unpleasant woman" named Regina Fuller, who is very Scrooge-like.

Following the death of her father, Fuller returns to her hometown to issue eviction notices ahead of the holiday season. Parton co-stars as an angel who comes to give her guidance toward a more compassionate path in life. Christmas on the Square premieres Nov. 22 on Netflix.

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