As part of the second-oldest Turkey Day NFL tradition, the Dallas Cowboys have played on Thanksgiving since 1966 with a record of 32-22-1. That doesn’t change this year as the Cowboys host the Washington Commanders for an NFC East showdown, but who performs during halftime?
The 2011 Grammy Lifetime Achievement winner Dolly Parton will entertain the crowd at AT&T Stadium, adding her name to a long list of prolific artists gracing the stage in Dallas. Here’s how to watch the Commanders and Cowboys game today and a little more about Parton.
Who Is Dolly Parton?
A storied rivalry matchup deserves an equally acclaimed artist, and the Cowboys delivered by tabbing the country music legend to handle the halftime show. Parton has sold over 100 million records worldwide over her 50+ year career, becoming one of the best-selling female artists ever.
She has had 25 singles top the Billboard Country Music charts, tied for the most by a female with fellow country superstar Reba McEntire.
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Parton has composed over 3,000 songs, most notably “I Will Always Love You,” which topped the U.S. charts twice and then became an international hit when redone by Whiney Houston in 1992.
While primarily known for her music career, she was also an actress. A member of the prestigious EGOT club, Parton is also a member of the Rock and Roll and Country Hall of Fame.
She’s invested much of what she’s earned back into East Tennessee through the Dollywood Company and provided better education to the same area with the Dollywood Foundation.
Surprisingly, given her achievements, Parton has never performed at a sporting event before. When asked why, she explained, “When you think about those shows, those are big, big productions. I’ve never done anything with that big of a production. I don’t know if I could have.”
However, with her recent ventures into rock music, she’s finally ready to bring the house down.
Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys
- Start time: 4:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: CBS
- Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, CBS All-Access
The Cowboys have been winning games easily since the Week 9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The defense is shutting down opponents, QB Dak Prescott has thrown seven touchdowns, and RB Tony Pollard finally scored for the first time since Week 1.
MORE: How Dallas Can Command Its Destiny on Thanksgiving
Now, they prepare for the first of two late-season games against the Commanders.
Speaking of the Commanders, after what looked like a promising start to the season, the wheels have come off in the last five weeks. They’ve posted a 1-4 record bookended by two awful losses to the New York Giants.
While QB Sam Howell is trying to will this offense to wins, he’s not making a great impression, trading his penchant for taking sacks with throwing interceptions.
Given his early-season numbers and the Washington offense unraveling, Howell is still on pace to break the record of sacks taken in a season with six games remaining. Will the Cowboys’ defense be able to take advantage of an NFC East rival who has yet to win a divisional game this season?
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