Music Specials Coming to You This Month on WHYY-TV 12
WHYY-TV12 rocks this summer! Catch exciting concert performances and documentaries featuring Dolly Parton, Elvis, The Carpenters, Vicente Fernández and more. From rock to soul, folk to pop, we’ve got your ticket to great entertainment.
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Dolly Parton: Here I Am
Saturday, 8.8.2026 | 6 PM
Monday, 8.10.2026 | 9 PM
Sunday, 8.16.2026 | 6 PM
The undisputed queen of country music, living legend Dolly Parton has had one of the most stellar careers of any musician. In this groundbreaking documentary film, Dolly herself lets us in on her fondest memories, her influences and her process, and we explore the legendary talent that has made her astonishingly successful and well-loved. With unprecedented access to Dolly, along with incredible archival footage from concerts and interviews spanning her career, we marvel at the spirit, soul and hard work of an artist who has inspired countless others. We learn about her humble beginnings and the singers and songwriters who inspired her and hear from some extremely famous fans. For Dolly Parton fans, this is a must-see film, and for the uninitiated, it’s a brilliant and necessary introduction.
Elvis ’56
Saturday, 8.8.2026 | 8 PM
Sunday, 8.9.2026 | 11 AM
Thursday, 8.13.2026 | 7 PM
In 1956, Elvis Presley was a 21-year-old new singing sensation, and both he and his rockabilly sound were unknown outside of the South. Narrated by Levon Helm (The Band), Elvis ’56 opens a time capsule to reveal the legendary performer at the very beginning of his meteoric career. It captures the sights and sounds of that pivotal year using exclusive tour photographs, kinescopes of Presley’s controversial appearances on TV, newsreel clips, and radio interviews. Footage of performances captures the young, explosively talented Presley on the brink of his soon-to-be superstardom. Just one year later, he achieved widespread fame, selling a billion records worldwide and becoming the highest-paid star in Hollywood.
Red, White and Rock (My Music Presents)
Saturday, 8.8.2026 | 9:30 AM
Sunday, 8.9.2026 | 6 PM
Wednesday, 8.12.2026 | 9 PM
Saturday, 8.15.2026 | 9:30 PM
Legendary performers gather to celebrate America and support public television performing their biggest and best love hits, including Tommy James & The Shondells, The Miracles, Four Tops, Little Anthony & The Imperials and many more.
Rock Classics
Saturday, 8.8.2026 | 11 PM
Friday, 8.14.2026 | 10:30 PM
A star-studded celebration of rock, blues, and Americana music, bringing together today’s biggest music icons to perform unforgettable renditions of classic hits by legendary artists like John Lennon, Gregg Allman, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Emmylou Harris, Dr. John, Charlie Daniels, and Mavis Staples.
The Carpenters: Close To You (My Music Presents)
Sunday, 8.9.2026 | 4 PM
Monday, 8.10.2026 | 11 PM
Saturday, 8.15.2026 | 8 PM
A music-filled documentary that traces the Carpenters’ career through the eyes of Richard Carpenter and the group’s friends in the music business, featuring their top recording hits. This film features interviews with the group’s musicians, famous friends and colleagues, particularly those who helped them achieve stardom, including Herb Alpert, Paul Williams, Burt Bacharach and Petula Clark. The program also contains rare footage of Richard and Karen, including never-before-seen promotional films, concert performances, studio recording sessions, archival television appearances and outtakes.
Vicente Fernández: Un Azteca en el Azteca
Tuesday, 8.11.2026 | 9 PM
For more than 50 years, Vicente Fernandez was revered as Mexico’s greatest living singer, blending an operatic vocal range with a deep understanding of the roots of ranchera music. In the concert special, the mariachi singer performs a historic farewell concert at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, the largest stadium in Latin America. Filmed on April 16, 2016, the concert attracted a crowd of over 85,000 fans, creating a