Country music icon Dolly Parton was actively planning a vast array of projects, including a biopic, a musical documentary, and a Dolly avatar show, in the months leading up to her death. Parton worked "up until the day she died" and had meticulously crafted a "project roadmap" designed to guide her team for decades, according to her longtime manager Danny Nozell.
Parton passed away at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer, having been admitted to the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville. Despite dealing with kidney and autoimmune issues, she remained dedicated to her work. "She loved seeing her dreams come to life and loved knowing her work brought people joy," Nozell stated.
Nozell pledged to ensure that "many dreams she had yet to fulfill are brought to life." He indicated that numerous projects were in various stages of development, and official channels would provide transparency to fans about their launch. "If you see unreleased music, products, books, experiences and campaigns launched through official Dolly Parton channels, you can have confidence in knowing that she placed her personal stamp on it," he added.
Among the planned ventures are a scripted series, a docuseries, and an animated series based on her "Billy the Kid" book franchise. Several projects are slated for release this year, including Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stops, scheduled to begin September 13 in observance of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. The Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel in Nashville is set to open on September 29.
Additional planned releases include a line of Dolly Dolls launching online on September 15, the grand opening of Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum on September 29, and Dolly's Cup of Ambition Coffee launching online the same day. A Christmas-themed project and merchandise range, "Dolly on the Holly," is also anticipated. Further out, Dolly’s Dog Treats are scheduled for early 2027, and Dolly Bedding & Home Decor is set to debut in the third quarter of next year.
Previews for "Dolly: A True Original Musical" on Broadway are scheduled to begin in early December, with the official opening on January 19, which would have been Parton's 81st birthday. Parton wrote the music and book for the musical, which chronicles her life from her childhood in the Smoky Mountains to her performances in Hollywood. She described the musical as a "dream come true," featuring her hit songs alongside new music written specifically for the show.
Parton also left a posthumous gift for her fans: an unreleased song titled "My Place In History," written in 2015. The song is stored on a CD in a locked box at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort in Tennessee and is slated for release on what would have been her 100th birthday in 20 years. The "Dream Box" containing the CD also features a piece of wood from her childhood home.
Parton also planned the announcement of her death. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who served as her head of security for many years, recorded a video at her request to be released posthumously. Seaver noted that this announcement was something Parton had requested years prior.