Dolly Parton Chose Her Funeral Song More Than a Decade Ago & Left an Unreleased Song to Be Heard in 2046

Dolly Parton, the renowned country music icon who passed away at the age of 80 on August 25, had meticulously planned her musical legacy even after her death. Parton had already selected the song that would be played at her funeral more than a decade before her demise. However, she also left an unreleased song, titled "My Place in History," which would only be heard on her 100th birthday in 2046.

In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Parton revealed that she wanted "I Will Always Love You" to be played at her funeral, similar to Whitney Houston's subsequent rendition. Yet, for her own personal funeral, she chose "If We Never Meet Again," a country-gospel hymn that had been her father's favorite, often performed at his funeral.

This choice reflected the song's message of separation and the hope of being reunited in the afterlife. Her funeral arrangements were indeed premeditated; she requested a small, private service for family and wished to be laid to rest in a "beautiful bed of plush cotton."

In addition to her funeral plans, Parton had a unique way of preserving an unreleased song for future generations. At Dollywood's DreamMore Resort in Tennessee, there lies a locked chestnut box containing a recording of "My Place in History." The song was written in 2015, the same year the resort opened, and Parton ensured it would be unveiled on her 100th birthday, January 19, 2046.

Inside the box is a CD and a player, creating a sort of Dolly time capsule. Parton acknowledged the unpredictability of music in the future, expressing her hope that the box would still play when it was opened. She jokingly admitted that she would be thrilled to hear the song herself should she still be alive when the box opened.