Dolly Parton revealed in a resurfaced interview that she buried an unreleased song in a time capsule at Dollywood, with plans for it to remain sealed until 2045.
In an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in December 2022, the country music icon spoke about the song, which she wrote and recorded with the intention of it not being released for nearly two decades. "You have no idea how that has bothered me," Parton told Clarkson at the time. "I wanna go dig that up so bad. It's a really good song!"
Parton, who was 76 during the interview, acknowledged the possibility of not being alive to witness the song's eventual release. She noted that she would be 99 by the time the capsule is opened, stating, "I might be here, I might not be."
She also expressed concern that the song might deteriorate before it could be heard. "I figure it'll probably disintegrate and nobody will ever hear it, that's what bothers me... if it rots in there before they open it," she said.
The hidden song was also mentioned in Parton's 2020 memoir, "Songteller: My Life in Lyrics." She likened the act of sealing the song away to "burying one of my kids, putting it on ice or something, and I won't be around to see it brought back to life," lamenting that "It's just burning me up inside that I have to leave it in there."
Parton's death was confirmed on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at age 80, following a decline in health. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who served as her head of security, announced her passing in an Instagram video. According to reports, she had been admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville with autoimmune and kidney problems.
"This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality," Seaver stated in the clip. He described his aunt as someone who "lived in the light" and was now "in the arms of Jesus."
Parton's career spanned six decades, earning her widespread acclaim for hits such as "Jolene" and "9 to 5." Her passing followed months of health issues that had led her to withdraw from several public appearances.
Last year, Parton experienced the loss of her husband of 58 years, Carl Dean, who died on March 3. The couple first met in 1964 when Parton was 18.
In the days following Dean's death, Parton released a song dedicated to him titled "If You Hadn't Been There." She later shared her emotional reaction to a tribute at the Opry 100: A Live Celebration show, where numerous artists performed her song "I Will Always Love You" in remembrance of her late husband. "All those beautiful people with all their beautiful voices singing my song as a tribute to my husband Carl... the emotion was beyond words," Parton wrote on Instagram Stories at the time.