Whether it was through her philanthropic work with Imagination Library or her sonorous voice belting out global hits, Dolly Parton’s team has revealed that she worked “until the day she died.”
The “Jolene” singer was quietly battling ill health but continued putting in the work, locking away a song that fans will get to hear in 2046 while also helping to create her autobiographical musical, “DOLLY: A True Original Musical.”
Tributes from several Hollywood celebrities have continued to pour in as fans flock to Dollywood to pay their last respects.
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Dolly Parton was the workaholic we all knew her to be, especially when it came to her philanthropic work with Imagination Library and her singing career.
The singer died on Tuesday, August 25, following a brief battle with cancer, but still had projects in the pipeline that she was attending to, including an AI digital avatar show she was actively exploring.
“She loved seeing her dreams come to life, and loved knowing her work brought people joy,” her longtime manager Danny Nozell said in a statement, per NME.
He continued, “Ever the planner, Dolly worked with the team that she handpicked for the past several years to build a project roadmap that will guide us for decades to come.”
Parton’s Work Will Continue After Her Death
In spite of the sad reality of her death, Parton’s manager went further to share that some of the projects she was working on will still see the light of day.
“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,” Nozell said.
“Many projects were in various stages of development, and we want to be transparent with her fans about this fact. 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 explained.
They then shared some of the projects that were still in the works, including Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stops, Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel, Dolly Dolls, and a Dolly’s Life Of Many Colors Museum opening September 29.
She also had developing projects like a coffee brand, dog treats, and a home decor outfit, among other creative efforts like her Broadway musical, “DOLLY: A True Original Musical,” which is set to open on January 19, 2027. NME also reports that the musical is scheduled to open on what would have been Parton’s 81st birthday.
The Trailblazing Country Superstar Said She Still Had More To Achieve
3In the face of her now-revealed ailing health and her old age, Parton seemingly didn’t care to take her foot off the gas. Her sad passing came just four days after she said she still had a lot to achieve in a health update with fans.
In the update shared on Friday, August 21, she acknowledged her health decline following the heartbreaking death of her husband Carl Dean in March 2025.
Parton explained that she “didn’t pay attention” to her health issues while watching after Dean, but tried to brush it off as she brought up a similar situation she experienced in the ’80s when she was “down for several months with female issues,” per PEOPLE.
She added, “I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn’t years ago. I used to joke that I was the Queen of the Tabloids, but now I guess I can say I’m the Queen of Social Media AI! Seriously, though, even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’! You know me — as I’ve often said — I’ve dreamed myself into a corner, and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life.”
Parton’s Secret Song Is Set To Be Released In 2046
It has already been revealed that the “I Will Always Love You” singer secretly recorded a new song but tucked it away in a time capsule until the year 2046.
The track, titled “My Place in History,” is said to have been deposited by Parton herself in a wooden box at Dollywood.
She explained in her book “Songteller: My Life in Lyrics” that she left instructions for employees not to open it until January 19, 2046, which was supposed to be the occasion of her 100th birthday.
“It would be a song that will never be heard until 30 years from the time we opened the resort,” she explains in the book.
Dolly Parton Offered Her Body To Cancer Researchers
3Even in her final days and with her reduced physical activity, Parton was still willing to contribute to humanity in some way.
In a moving tribute shared on Thursday by her younger sister Stella, it was revealed that the “Coat of Many Colors” singer offered to receive experimental cancer drugs “in the hope of helping others in the future.”
“My sister was one of the most generous, thoughtful and kind people I’ve ever known,” Stella wrote in a tribute shared on Facebook.
“What the world saw is exactly who she was.”
“She told me recently that if there was no hope for her, she would still allow her medical team to try experimental drugs in the hope of helping others in the future,” she continued. “My sister was always thinking of others.”
