Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Jason Isbell to Sing for Kenny Rogers in New CMT Tribute
Kenny Rogers, who died last month at 81, is the subject of a new CMT tribute show benefiting MusiCares, writes rollingstone.com.
CMT will remember the life and music of Kenny Rogers with a new concert special. CMT Giants Kenny Rogers: A Benefit for MusiCares airs Wednesday, April 8, and features at-home performances by Rogers’ frequent collaborators Dolly Parton and Lionel Richie, along with a mix of country artists like Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, Vince Gill, and Lady Antebellum.
The tribute doubles as a fundraiser for the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, a new initiative to help musicians and those in the industry affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Viewers will be able to make donations via a website and text. Half of the money raised will directly benefit members of the Nashville music community.
Other artists on tap to perform include Michael McDonald, Jennifer Nettles, Randy Houser, Rascal Flatts, and Gavin DeGraw. CMT Giants Kenny Rogers also features interviews and clips of Rogers.
“Islands in the Stream,” Rogers and Parton’s iconic 1983 duet, topped the list of CMT’s 100 Greatest Duets. Rogers died last month at 81 from natural causes.
CMT’s virtual special is the latest at-home concert event to spring up during the coronavirus quarantine.
On Sunday, the Academy of Country Music aired ACM Presents: Our Country, a two-hour CBS special featuring country stars performing stripped-down versions of their hits from the safety of their homes.
