NBC announces second Dolly Parton special, 'Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love'

There’s no stopping Dolly Parton. NBC’s special about the country icon’s early life, Coat of Many Colors, was so successful that the company announced Wednesday they will produce a sequel, Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, for release this holiday season.

Director Stephen Herek will be back, as well as the original cast: Alyvia Alyn Lind as young Dolly, Jennifer Nettles as her mother Avie Lee Parton, Ricky Schroder as father Robert Lee Parton, and Gerald McRaney as Rev. Jake Owens. The plot will follow the Parton family at Christmastime, as a sudden blizzard threatens their rural Tennessee livelihood. Amidst the snow, Dolly’s father finally tries to raise enough money for the wedding ring he couldn’t afford, while Dolly’s musical talent starts attracting attention.

“I was so overwhelmed and touched by how many people watched Coat of Many Colors and their reaction to it,” Parton said in a statement. “The song ‘Coat of Many Colors,’ of course, has always been my favorite and has touched so many people through the years, especially me. It is a true story from a very special time in my childhood. I am so happy to share this story with the viewers and to say there is so much more to tell because mine truly has been a life of many colors. I hope the viewers will fall in love all over again.”

Ahead of Coat of Many Colors, EW spoke with executive producer Sam Haskell, who knew even then that they had found something special in Lind’s performance as young Dolly.

“Dolly wanted to first of all make sure she looked like she looked when she was a little girl. Alyvia was that, just perfect,” Haskell said. “Like me and mini-me. But she also had to sing, and she had to have a lot of spunk and emotion because that’s what Dolly is — spunk and emotion. Alyvia Alyn Lind had it all.”

NBC said a premiere date and additional cast members for Christmas of Many Colors will be announced in the coming months.