Music and entertainment legend Dolly Parton died on Aug. 25 at age 80, but the boundless creativity and tenacious work ethic that marked her life and career also mean that the slate of projects Parton and her team were working on at the time of her passing are still continuing on.
Parton’s longtime manager Danny Nozell said in a statement, “Dolly worked up until the day she died. She loved seeing her dreams come to life, and loved knowing her work brought people joy. Ever the planner, Dolly worked with the team that she handpicked, for the past several years to build a project road map that will guide us for decades to come.”
Related
Dolly Parton Dead at 80: Music Executives Remember the Country Icon
Dale Morris, Nashville Manager Who Guided Careers of Alabama & Kenny Chesney, Dies at 89
HYBE Pledges Over $300k for Colombia Earthquake Recovery
Nozell continued, “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. 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.”
The statement also offered updates on several business projects Parton and her team had been working on.
In June, Parton opened Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stops in Cornersville, Tenn., south of Nashville. The Parton-themed truck stop will take part in celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week starting Sept. 13, 2026.
Parton was also in the midst of opening the Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel in downtown Nashville. The hotel will be open for stays beginning Sept. 14, with a grand opening planned for Sept. 29, 2026. Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum, which is housed in the hotel, is slated to have its grand opening on Sept. 29 as well.
Parton has several other business products rolling out in September. A line of Dolly Dolls is set to launch online on Sept. 15. Dolly’s Cup of Ambition Coffee, created in partnership with Community Coffee, will launch online on Sept. 29, followed by a retail launch in spring 2027. The coffee will be available in light, medium and dark roasts, and is also sold at Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop.
The singer’s musical about her life and career, Dolly: A True Original Musical, will begin Broadway previews on Dec. 7, with an opening night on Jan. 19, which would have been Parton’s 81st birthday. Parton and her team previewed the musical earlier this year at Nashville’s Belmont University.
Additionally, a holiday project, Dolly On The Holly, is set to launch later this year, while the Kendra Scott x Dolly-The 9 to 5 collection of jewelry is slated to launch in January 2027. The jewelry collection includes rings and necklaces in Parton’s classic butterfly design, as well as earrings, necklaces and other jewelry in the designs of hearts and multicolored jewelry inspired by Parton’s song “Coat Of Many Colors.”
Next year will also see the launch of Dolly’s Dog Treats line, as well as the Dolly Bedding & Home Decor line set for late 2027.
Other projects in the pipeline include a Dolly avatar show, a Dolly musical documentary, an animated series based on her Billy The Kid children’s book series, as well as a Dolly-inspired biopic, docuseries and scripted series.
On Aug. 25, representatives for Parton’s beloved Dollywood theme park also noted that the theme park would be open on Wednesday, Aug. 26, writing on Instagram, “In her spirit, Dollywood will be open Wednesday as Dolly wanted, always reminding everyone with her signature sparkle — ‘the show must go on.’ Together, we honor her by carrying forward her message of love, perseverance, and hope.”
Parton passed away at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville on Aug. 25, following a brief battle with cancer.