Hoda asks Dolly how she came to embrace the spirit of the holiday after confirming that her Christmas tree is already up—been it’s up since before Thanksgiving.

Dolly relates her kindness to how she was raised. Her grandfather was a preacher, and her parents were generous people, she says. ‘It’s better to give than to get,’her faith-based family taught her.

Dolly introduces her upcoming film musical about the production of a network television special. Among the cast members are Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Zach Williams, and Ana Gasteyer.

Clips promises a colorful, entertaining two-hour event. Even though Dolly is full of holiday enthusiasm, she takes a minute with Hoda to reflect on terrible events from the previous year.

Hoda mentions Naomi Judd and Loretta Lynn, both of whom died in April and October of 2022, respectively.

Loretta was ‘like a sister,’ according to Dolly, and she and Naomi were the same age and liked the same things.

She then mentions Kenny Rogers, who passed away in March 2020. Islands in the Stream, one of the most successful duets ever, was recorded by the two.

Listen to ‘You Can’t Make Old Friends”; the love between the two artists is palpable!