Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday at age 80, had revealed in a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly which songs she wished to be played at her funeral. She specifically mentioned the gospel hymn “If We Never Meet Again,” a song that held personal significance as it was her father’s favorite.
"There’s a song called ‘If We Never Meet Again,'" Parton told the publication at the time. "It’s an old country-gospel church song that talks about if we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore. ‘Where the charming roses bloom forever and where separations come no more.'" She added that the song was sung at her father’s funeral and she would like it played at hers.
The hymn, written by Albert E. Brumley in 1945, has been recorded by various artists, including Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
Parton also surmised that her iconic 1973 song, “I Will Always Love You,” would likely be played at her funeral. This song gained even wider recognition when Whitney Houston released her version for the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.” Parton shared that she was deeply moved when the song played at Houston’s funeral in 2012, stating, “When they picked her coffin up and started in on that song, I started to cry, and I thought, ‘Oh my Lord.’ That’s when it hit me that she was really gone.”
According to her publicity team, Parton's funeral will be a small, private service for immediate family, as per her request. The service is being planned for Nashville, Tennessee, in the coming days. TMZ reported that she will be laid to rest beside her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum.
Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, also shared Parton's request to be buried in a "beautiful bed of plush cotton," explaining that after a life of wearing heavy embellishments, she deserved to be comfortable. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to Parton's Imagination Library, a program that gifts free books to children.
Parton's legacy extends beyond her music, including her contributions to theater. The Broadway production of "Dolly: A True Original Musical," which she wrote the music and book for, was slated to begin previews in December. The show aims to depict her life from her childhood in the Smoky Mountains to her Hollywood career.