Dolly Parton continued working on numerous projects until her death and had developed a comprehensive roadmap designed to guide her team for decades to come, according to her longtime manager Danny Nozell.
Parton died at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, with complications from kidney and autoimmune issues also cited. Despite her declining health, she remained actively involved in the development of future endeavors. "Dolly worked up until the day she died," Nozell stated. "She loved seeing her dreams come to life and loved knowing her work brought people joy."
Nozell explained that Parton had spent several years handpicking a team and meticulously creating a project roadmap. "As the leader of the team responsible for overseeing her legacy, we will ensure the many dreams she had yet to fulfill are brought to life," he promised. He assured fans that any future releases bearing Parton's name through official channels would have had her personal endorsement.
Planned Ventures and Releases
The planned projects span a wide range of media and products. These include a Dolly avatar show, a musical documentary, a feature film biopic, a docuseries, and a scripted series based on her "Billy the Kid" book franchise. Parton also had a hand in upcoming projects with specific release dates.
Several initiatives are slated for release in the near future. Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stops are scheduled to launch in September, coinciding with National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. The Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel in Nashville is set to open on September 29. Other planned releases for this year include a line of Dolly Dolls on September 15, the grand opening of Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum on September 29, and the launch of Dolly's Cup of Ambition Coffee, also on September 29. A Christmas-themed project and merchandise range, Dolly on the Holly, is also anticipated.
Looking further ahead, Dolly's Dog Treats are scheduled for early 2027, with Dolly Bedding & Home Decor set to debut in the third quarter of 2027. Additionally, previews for "Dolly: A True Original Musical" on Broadway are slated 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 aims to chronicle her life from her childhood in the Smoky Mountains to her rise to stardom. She described the show as a personal journey told in her own words and through music, featuring both popular hits and new songs written for the production.
A Final Gift to Fans
Parton also left behind an unreleased song titled "My Place In History," written in 2015. This song is scheduled for release on her 100th birthday, 20 years from now. The CD containing the song is kept in a locked box at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort in Tennessee. The box also contains a piece of wood from the front porch of her childhood home. Parton had previously written about the song in her 2020 book, "Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics," expressing a hopeful curiosity about whether she would live to see its release.
Parton's foresight extended to the announcement of her death. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who served as her head of security, recorded a video at her request to be released posthumously. Seaver noted that Parton had asked him years prior to film the announcement, a request he fulfilled as part of his long-standing role protecting her.