Fifty-five years ago Monday, Dolly records “The Last One To Touch Me” for Joshua. Fifty-two years ago Monday, “Jolene” debuts on adult contemporary chart; it would peak at No. 44 but also go No. 1 country, No. 7 U.K. pop and No. 60 U.S. pop. Forty-eight years ago Wednesday, Here You Come Again marks its eighth of nine weeks atop the country album charts (Dolly's second); it also reaches No. 20 pop and becomes her first platinum album for sales in excess of 1 million copies. Fifty-three years ago Thursday, Porter & Dolly record “How Can I Help You Forgive Me,“ although it isn't included on an album until two years later when it appears on Say Forever You'll Be Mine. Forty-nine years ago Thursday, Great Moments at the Grand Ole Opry debuts on the country album charts; featuring an interview with Dolly and her classic “Coat of Many Colors,” it peaks at No. 35. Forty-three years ago Thursday, “Everything's Beautiful (In Its Own Way)” with Willie Nelson debuts on the pop singles chart; it peaks at No. 102 pop, No. 19 adult contemporary and No. 7 country. Fifteen years ago Thursday, Dolly receives a special Grammy, the Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award. Nine years ago Thursday, Dolly receives her eighth regular Grammy, for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group for “Jolene” with Pentatonix. Fifty-three years ago Friday, Porter & Dolly record “If Teardrops Were Pennies” for Love and Music; released as a single four months later, it reaches No. 3 and garners their fourth and final Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo. Thirty-three years ago Friday, “Romeo“ debuts on the singles chart; it reaches No. 27 country and No. 50 pop. Fifty-six years ago Saturday, Porter & Dolly's “Tomorrow is Forever” debuts on the country singles charts; it would peak at No. 9. Forty-five years ago Saturday, 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs marks its first of 10 weeks at No. 1 on the country album charts (Dolly's longest stay atop the chart and fourth time there); it also reaches No. 11 pop and gold status for more than 500,000 copies sold (Dolly's fifth).
Upcoming television appearances
(All times Eastern unless noted)
The RCA Sessions (1968-1976), 22-song digital collection of rare Porter & Dolly songs first released on the 2014 complete recordings boxed set, April 5
Love & Music 1973 Porter & Dolly album, digital release, March 29
We Found It 1973 Porter & Dolly album, digital release, Feb. 1
Nashville Symphony Proclaims Dolly Summer The Nashville Symphony Orchestra last week announced this will be the Summer of Dolly in Music City with a seven-week engagement of her Threads: My Songs In Symphony will run at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center June 16 through July 31. Tickets are available here. The engagement coincides with this summer's opening of her new SongTeller Hotel in downtown Nashville which includes her new Life of Many Colors Museum and the continuing exhibit "Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker" at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Dolly Joining Musicans Hall Of Fame It was announced last week that multi-instrumentalist Dolly is among the inductees in this year's Musicians Hall of Fame. No official word on whether she will attend the concert and induction ceremony at Belmont University's Fisher Center in Nashville at 7:30 p.m. April 28, but in case she does, tickets go on sale to the public for $65-$225 at 11 a.m. Tuesday here. Other inductees this year are Dann Huff, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, John Boylan, Keith Urban, Leland Sklar, Michael McDonald and Nicky Hopkins (posthumously). Presenters and performers are to be announced.
'Light' Gets Second Week On Sales Charts Dolly's new recording of "Light Of A Clear Blue Morning" to raise funds for pediatric cancer research at Vanderbilt with vocals from Queen Latifah, Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson, and Miley Cyrus earned a second week on the Feb. 7 Billboard charts released last week. The track slips five from the top of the Country Digital Songs Sales chart to No. 6 and from the second position on the overall Digital Song Sales chart to No. 22. It falls off the Country Airplay chart after one week at No. 41. It still didn't get enough streams to appear on any streaming charts or the overall Hot Country Songs or all-genre Hot 100 charts, both of which rely heavily on streaming credits to chart. Across the pond, her 1977 original version of the song gains five spots to No. 93 British download singles chart in its third week and re-enters the British singles sales chart at No. 100.
Elsewhere on the U.K. charts, "Islands In The Stream" with Kenny Rogers falls back off the top 100 downloads, down from No. 99. Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 falls back off the top download albums chart, down from No. 24, while her Rockstar: Deluxe falls back off the same tally, down from No. 78. On the British country compilation albums chart, Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 remains at No. 1, Diamonds & Rhinestones, The Greatest Hits Collection stays at No. 2, Glen Campbell's Ghost On The Canvas Sessions with a Dolly duet, slidfes four to No. 20, The Complete Trio Collection Deluxe inches up one to No. 11, Emmylou Harris' first installment in Original Album Series drops five to No. 15, and Ultimate Dolly Parton dips one to No. 9, Essential Dolly Parton loses two to No. 13, and Live From London rises four to No. 14. Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, finds itself at No. 17 U.K. pop. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, with its Dolly appearances, is No. 17 British country albums and No. 11 Americana albums. Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 7 British country albums.
Stateside, Carpenter is No. 23 U.S. pop albums, while Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 14 country and No. 109 pop.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 8 pop albums, Malone No. 4 Australian country albums and No. 42 pop, and Beyonce at No. 24 country.
'Trio' Coming Out On Special Acoustic Releases High-end audiophile boutique Acoustic Sounds is celebrating its 40th anniversary with limited edition releases of 40 albums on Hybrid Stereo SACD and LPs and they have announced the inclusion of 1987's Trio by Dolly, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris. The album is remastered to DSD from the original master tapes and will be released both on a Hybrid Stereo SACD and a 180-gram double LP at higher-fidelity 45 rpm speed instead of standard 33. The release date has yet to be announced, but the title is up for pre-order on their website for the vinyl here and CD here.
Imagination Library Study Finds Major Impacts Dolly's Imagination Library early childhood literacy program has significant positive impacts on participating children, according to the largest-ever study of the program worldwide. More than 86,000 caregivers in the program in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, and Ireland were surveyed by United Way Australia and compared to responses from almost 38,000 caregivers in those countries whose children were not enrolled in the program. The study found that across all countries evaluated, Dolly's Library produces stronger early literacy outcomes and richer reading experiences at home—helping close early literacy gaps by strengthening foundational skills, increasing the frequency of children being read to, and boosting children's interest and engagement during shared book reading. It also shows the program builds positive family reading habits and traditions, with caregivers more likely to interact in meaningful ways (like talking about pictures and encouraging children to hold the book), reinforcing a warm, consistent home literacy environment that supports children's learning and long-term success.
First created as "Duane's Dolly Pages" in 1996, and becoming Dollymania in 1998, this is the oldest continually operating Internet site dedicated to Dolly Parton and the ONLY regularly-updated resource about her available anywhere in the world!
Past news
Feb. 3: 'Light' Collaboration Debuts At No. 1 Digital Country Singles Dolly's new recording of "Light Of A Clear Blue Morning" to raise funds for pediatric cancer research at Vanderbilt with vocals from Queen Latifah, Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson, and Miley Cyrus debuted last week on the Jan. 31 Billboard charts with 8,000 downloads sold in its first week and 2.5 million audience impressions from radio airplay. The track debuts at No. 1 Country Digital Song Sales (Dolly's third No. 1 on that tally which began in 2010), No. 2 all-genre Digital Song Sales, and No. 41 Country Airplay (her 28th entry on the airplay list since it was introduced in 1990). It gives her a 55-year span of No. 1 songs between "Joshua" on Hot Country Songs in 1971 and this track on Country Digital Song Sales. Read more from the magazine here. The song didn't garner enough streams in its first week to allow it to debut on the overall Hot Country Songs chart or Hot 100 all-genre songs chart because both are dependent mostly on streams rather than downloads or airplay. Across the pond, her 1977 original version of the song tumbles from No. 10 on British single sales chart and British download singles chart, falling off the sales chart and dropping to No. 98 downloads.
Elsewhere on the U.K. charts, "Islands In The Stream" with Kenny Rogers re-enters the top 100 downloads at No. 99. Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 rises 45 places on the top download albums chart to No. 24, while her Rockstar: Deluxe re-enters at No. 78. On the British country compilation albums chart, Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 remains at No. 1, Diamonds & Rhinestones, The Greatest Hits Collection rises five to No. 2, Glen Campbell's Ghost On The Canvas Sessions with a Dolly duet, gains one to No. 16, The Complete Trio Collection Deluxe inches up one to No. 12, and Emmylou Harris' first installment in Original Album Series increases one to No. 10 while her second installment falls back out of the top 20, down from No. 15, as both feature several Dolly appearances, and Ultimate Dolly Parton, Essential Dolly Parton and Live From London re-enter the top 20 at No. 8, No. 11, and No. 18, respectively thanks to attention to her 80th birthday. Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, finds itself at No. 19 U.K. pop. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, with its Dolly appearances, is No. 13 British country albums and No. 10 Americana albums.
Stateside, Carpenter is No. 20 U.S. pop albums, while Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 13 country and No. 102 pop.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 9 pop albums, Malone No. 4 Australian country albums and No. 42 pop, and Beyonce at No. 28 country.
Producer: Dolly Appears Over Her Health Problems Longtime Dolly co-producer and band leader Kent Wells told Parade last week that she is doing "great" and appears to be back in good health following a health scare that caused the cancellation of several fall appearances. He explained she was in his studio the previous week recording, adding "And she seems great. She's singing great, she looks fantastic and seems perfectly fine." Read more here.
New Museum Lead Staff Hired Dolly's upcoming Life of Many Colors Museum inside her Songteller Hotel in Nashville last week named its new lead staff. Dolly Parton Archives Director Rebecca Seaver, Dolly's niece, will serve as Executive Director, Jen Molyneux will be Events and Group Sales Manager, and Shannon Carpenter Marketing Operations Coordinator. Read more from Country Insiderhere.
Dolly U Continues At Belmont The next five courses in Belmont University's "Dolly U" course of study have launched for the spring semester. Learn more from Music Rowhere.
'Morning' Makes U.K. Chart With the attention brought by release of the new multi-artist version of Doly's "Light Of A Clear Blue Morning," the original 1977 track debuts this week at No. 10 on both the British single sales chart and British download singles chart. However, the song didn't have enough streams to push it into the top 100 pop chart across the pond. Elsewhere on the U.K. charts,
Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 re-enters the top download albums chart at No. 69 while holding its No. 1 spot on the British country compilation albums list as her Diamonds & Rhinestones, The Greatest Hits Collection rises three to No. 7, Glen Campbell's Ghost On The Canvas Sessions with a Dolly duet, re-enters the top 20 at No. 17, The Complete Trio Collection Deluxe climbs five to No. 13, and Emmylou Harris' first installment in Original Album Series re-enters the top 20 at No. 11 while the second installment holds steady at No. 15, as both feature several Dolly appearances. Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, finds itself at No. 20 U.K. pop. Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, falls out of the top 20 country albums, down from No. 20. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, with its Dolly appearances, is No. 13 British country albums and No. 11 Americana albums.
On the Jan. 24 U.S. charts, Carpenter is No. 16 U.S. pop albums, while Malone is No. 11 country and No. 98 pop.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 8 pop albums, Malone No. 4 Australian country albums and No. 35 pop, and Beyonce at No. 25 country.
Jan. 20: Happy, Happy 80th Birthday, Dolly!
On Monday, the lady herself turned 80 years old, and the world celebrated its most beloved celebrity. USA Today collected well wishes from fellow country artists here including Keith Urban playing a recording of him singing "Applejack" at age 10 and sounding almost exactly like Dolly. The Tennessean shared a longer version of the video on YouTube here or in the media player above. As was previously announced, and has been her habit in past years, she for the fourth time did not attend the Grand Ole Opry birthday tribute to her Saturday night, but she did accept a Coat of Many Colors cake from an Arkansas baker here and a bagpipe serenade sent from Bono and U2 here. The Governor of Tennessee declared Monday Dolly Parton Day in honor of her milestone birthday, and People shared an exclusive interview about the occasion here. Cracker Barrel restaurants used the opportunity to announce its new Dolly section of its stores featuring her home goods. And multiple career retrospectives aired including from WBIR here, NBC's Todayhere and Extrahere.
New 'Light Of A Clear Blue Morning' Released
Dolly on Friday released a new recording of her 1977 song of liberation from her decade under Porter Wagoner's thumb, "Light Of A Clear Blue Morning," as a celebration of her 80th birthday and as a fundraiser for pediatric cancer research at the Monroe Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Joining her on the song to inspire Americans to hope for a better tomorrow were Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, Queen Latifah, Reba, Christ Church Choir, and David Foster on piano (who also played the recognizable piano parts on her 1970s singles "Here You Come Again" and "Heartbreaker" in addition to producing her Christmas album with Kenny Rogers). Watch the video of them recording in studios here or in the media player above, and download the track from Amazon here.
Opry's Dolly Mic Stand Up For Auction The Grand Ole Opry is auctioning off a custom-designed 100th anniversary microphone stand honoring Dolly and used on the program. Check it out from Juliens Auctions here.
U.K., U.S., Aussie Chart Updates Across the pond, Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 holds its No. 1 spot on the British country compilation albums list, while her Diamonds & Rhinestones, The Greatest Hits Collection slides three to No. 10, as Dolly's Live from London and Glen Campbell's Ghost On The Canvas Sessions with a Dolly duet, both fall back out of the top 20, down from No. 15 and No. 16, respectively, while the second Emmylou Harris installment in Original Album Series, featuring several Dolly appearances, and The Complete Trio Collection Deluxe both re-enter the top 20 at No. 15 and No. 18, respectively. , Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, finds itself at No. 13 U.K. pop. Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is at No. 20 country albums. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, with its Dolly appearances, is No. 13 British country albums and No. 10 Americana albums.
On the Jan. 17 U.S. charts, Carpenter is No. 14 U.S. pop albums, while Malone is No. 10 country and No. 86 pop.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 8 pop albums, Malone No. 4 Australian country albums and No. 33 pop, and Beyonce at No. 24 country.
Jan. 13: Dolly Narrates Tennessee Short Film
Dolly last week was unveiled as the narrator for a short film the State of Tennessee released about the state's history for the nation's 250th birthday. Watch it here or in the media player above.
'Opry Goes Dolly' Names Cast
The Grand Ole Opry last week announced the acts performing for their fourth annual "Opry Goes Dolly" birthday celebration in her honor and it will be headlined by Lainey Wilson, Vince Gill and Rhonda Vincent. Dolly recorded a video for the show to promote it but noted she wouldn't be there in person, leading to lots of media speculation that it is due to her recent health issues, but in truth she didn't attend the first, second, or third annual events so there is no reason for her to join them for the fourth one. However, she did agree to their release of a selection of branded merch for the evening under the emblem "80 Years of Song." Check out her video for the show that is this coming Saturday night (in advance of her 80th birthday on Monday) here and in the media player above.
Download 'Sing For The Common Man' Collab
As promised, Dolly's niece Jada Star released her cover of "Sing for the Common Man" featuring Dolly harmony vocals on Friday. Download it from Amazon here or stream it on YouTube here or in the media player above. The song, which was originally the B-side to "9 To 5," was written by Jada's parents, Freida Parton and Mark Andersen.
U.S., U.K., Aussie Chart Updates Former No. 1 "Butterfly" by the Zac Brown Band and Dolly falls back off the Billboard Country Digital Sales Chart last week on the Jan. 10 charts after returning for a second week and claiming No. 6 on the tally. Also, her 1984 holiday collection with Kenny Rogers, Once Upon A Christmas, falls back off the Holiday Albums Chart, down from No. 50, and the Country Albums Chart, down from No. 42. Elsewhere on the U.S. charts, Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, is No. 10 U.S. pop albums, while Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 11 country.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 6 pop albums, Malone No. 3 Australian country albums and No. 32 pop, and Beyonce at No. 21 country.
Jan. 6: 'Sing For The Common Man' Collab Coming Friday A new collaboration will hit streamers on Friday with Dolly joining niece Jada Star on a new version of "Sing For The Common Man," The B-side to her million-seller "9 To 5" in 1980, the song was written by Star's parents, Freida Parton and Mark Andersen. It will feature Jada, Dolly, Jada's cousin Rebecca, Jada's musical partner Barry J. and a children's choir. Pre-save the track here.
'Butterfly,' 'Once Upon' Return To Charts Three months after spending one week at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Digital Sales Chart, "Butterfly" by the Zac Brown Band and Dolly re-enters for a second week, coming in at No. 6 on the tally's Jan. 3 edition released last week. That's not the only re-entry, as her 1984 holiday collection with Kenny Rogers, Once Upon A Christmas, re-enters both the Holiday Albums Chart at No. 50 and the Country Albums Chart at No. 42. Elsewhere on the U.S. charts, Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, is No. 30 U.S. pop albums, while Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 24 country.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 5 pop albums, Malone No. 3 Australian country albums and No. 34 pop, and Beyonce at No. 13 country.
Country Hall Of Fame To Talk Dolly's Fashion The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will be host a panel discussion of Dolly's 2023 book Behind The Seams: My Life In Rhinestones in celebration of her 80th birthday featuring her co-authors Holly George-Warren and Rebecca Seaver, director of museum and archive services for Dolly Parton Productions, as well as Dolly's longtime creative director Steve Summers. Supporting the current exhibit "Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker," the panel is 3-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, and is free for Hall of Fame membership holders with tickets available for non-members. Read more from WSMV here.
Sister Opens Up About Prayer Controversy Dolly's sister Freida was interviewed about her new album recently but the published story chose to focus on the uproar she caused when she asked for prayers for Dolly during her recent illness. She explained she asked for prayers for her sister because that's what their mother encouraged them to do when she was alive. Read more here.
Ohio Promotes Imagination Library Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine plans to focus on supporting his existing successes for his final year in office, he told Cleveland.comhere, including his support for the state's affiliate of Dolly's Imagination Library early childhood literacy program. Ohio surpassed Tennessee a couple of years ago as the state with the largest number of enrolled children participating. The international program surpassed 300 million books delivered worldwide in December.
The Alamo Drafthouse Theaters will celebrate Dolly's 80th birthday with a three-night weekend of Dolly cinema. Jan. 16 will see screenings of 9 To 5. Jan. 17 will see screenings of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas and a party showing of Steel Magnolias, as well as a screening of Steel Magnolias Jan. 18. To celebrate, she taped an audience message for the chain to discourage texting and talking during the show, which you may watch here on YouTube or in the media player above.
'Holly Dolly Christmas' Goes Silver In U.K. Just a few weeks after receiving gold status in the U.S. on its fifth anniversary, A Holly Dolly Christmas was certified silver in the U.K. on Dec. 12 for more than 60,000 units sold.
'Threads' Names 2026 Tour Cities Dolly's Threads: My Songs In Symphony has announced its 2026 tour dates. The reinvention of Dolly's catalog for symphony orchestra with guest vocalists will visit the following cities:
January 3-4, 2026: Colorado Symphony – Denver, CO
January 17-18, 2026: St. Louis Symphony - St. Louis, MO
January 23-25, 2026: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra – Cincinnati, OH
January 31, 2026: Louisville Orchestra – Louisville, KY
February 14-15, 2026: Oregon Symphony – Portland, OR
March 19-21, 2026: Nashville Symphony – Nashville, TN
March 20-21, 2026: Grand Rapids Symphony – Grand Rapids, MI
March 28, 2026: Phoenix Symphony – Phoenix, AZ
April 7-11, 2026: Naples Philharmonic – Naples, FL
May 1, 2026: Eugene Symphony – Eugene, OR
May 15-17, 2026: Kansas City Symphony – Kansas City, MO
August 1, 2026: Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra - Chautauqua, NY
Dolly And Zac Brown In 'Interview' Dolly and Zac Brown interviewed each other for Interview magazine here. The pair duetted on the track "Butterfly" for Brown's new album, Love & Fear .
Dolly And Sabrina Makes Google List Dolly and Sabrina Carpenter's duet "Please, Please, Please" landed them among Google's Top Global Breakout Searches, the search engine revealed last week. Read more here!
Kimberly Schlapman Honors Dollywood Dolly helped out with a surprise for three sisters who have worked at Dollywood for 40 years each for Kimberly Schlapman's project here.
Dollywood Earns Regional Emmy Nomination Dollywood has been nominated for a Midsouth Regional Emmy Award for Best Documentary – Historical for its 40th anniversary documentary The Dollywood Dream. Named nominees are Scott Durand and Pete Owens, Executive Producers; and Devin Olson, Director/Producer. Winners will be announced in February.
Dolly Participating In Wynette Tribute Georgette Jones announced last week a tribute to her mother Tammy Wynette will be held at the Ryman Auditorium March 30 and taped for PBS Great Performances. She said Dolly will give an introduction and performances include Wynona, War & Treaty, Ann Wilson, Lucina Williams, Gretchen Wilson, Mandy Barnett, Macy Gray and more.
U.S., U.K., and Aussie Chart Updates After just one week this year on the 50-position Billboard Holiday Albums Chart, A Holly Dolly Christmas drops back off, down from No. 50 in its 53rd week since release. Elsewhere on the U.S. charts, Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, is No. 21 U.S. pop albums, while Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 18 country and No. 143 pop.
Across the pond, Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 slips one this week on the British country compilation album chart to No. 3, while her Diamonds & Rhinestones, The Greatest Hits Collection holds steady at No. 5, Dolly's Live from London holds steady at No. 15, while Emmylou Harris' Original Album Series Vol. 1 slips five to No. 16 and Linda Ronstadt's entry in the series falls three to No. 20 (both contain several Dolly appearances). Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition finds itself at No. 12 U.K. pop. Post Malone's F 1 Trillion sees its new expanded "Long Bed" version land at No. 15 country albums. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, with its Dolly appearances, is No. 12 British country albums and No. 14 Americana albums.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 8 pop albums, Malone No. 3 Australian country albums and No. 47 pop, and Beyonce at No. 17 country.
Dec. 9: New 'Billy The Kid' Book, Song Drop
Dolly's next children's book, Dolly Parton's Billy the Kid Dances His Heart Out, hit shelves last week and with it Dolly released a new single, "Bella," from her goddog Billy the Kid's perspective about a girl dog he has fallen for in the book. Listen on YouTube here or in the media player above. The song is available for streaming from Amazon Unlimited Music here but isn't available for purchase from Amazon. (It is available for purchase from iTunes.)
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Dolly Makes Licensing Hall Of Fame Dolly was announced last week as a member of the newest class of inductees into the Licensing Hall of Fame and celebrated with an interview about her licensing products with industry publication License Globalhere.
More Holiday Dolly On The Tube Streaming channel Circle Country has announced "A Very Dolly Christmas." On Christmas Day, the channel will alternate its programming all day between Dolly's 1996 holiday filmUnlikely Angel and a movie that reunited Dukes Of Hazard stars John Schneider and Tom Wopat, Christmas Comes to Willow Creek. Also, Canadian channel One TV has announced it will air Dolly Parton's Coat Of Many Colors on Dec. 21.
U.S., U.K., Aussie Chart Updates A Holly Dolly Christmas re-enters the 50-position U.S. Holiday Albums Chart at No. 50 in the Dec. 6 numbers released last week, notching a 53rd week on the tally. Elsewhere on the charts, . Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, is No. 20 U.S. pop albums, while Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 14 country and No. 102 pop.
Across the pond, Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 remains steady this week on the British country compilation album chart at No. 3, while her Diamonds & Rhinestones, The Greatest Hits Collection rises two to No. 5, Dolly's Live from London slips two to No. 10, Glen Campbell's Ghost On The Canvas Sessions with a Dolly duet falls back out of the top 20, down from No. 17, while Emmylou Harris' Original Album Series Vol. 1 gains five to No. 15 and Linda Ronstadt's entry in the series falls back out of the top 20, down from No. 16 (both contain several Dolly appearances), and The Complete Trio Collection Deluxe re-enters the top 20 at No. 16. Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition finds itself at No. 11 U.K. pop. Post Malone's F 1 Trillion sees its new expanded "Long Bed" version land at No. 2 country albums. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, with its Dolly appearances, is No. 12 British country albums and No. 11 Americana albums.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 7 pop albums, Malone No. 3 Australian country albums and No. 45 pop, and Beyonce at No. 18 country.
Dec. 2: Dolly Makes Theme Park Hall Of Fame
Dolly was officially inducted last month into the theme park industry's IAAPA Hall of Fame at their ceremony in Orlando. She accepted the honor via video, noting her doctors' orders to "take it easy for a while." Watch her acceptance speech here or in the media player above. Also last week, Dolly released a video message to social media wishing fans a Happy Thanksgiving.
'Star Of The Show' Makes Best Seller List Star Of The Show: My Life On Stage has given Dolly yet another New York Times Best Seller. The tome debuted last week in Hardcover Fiction, coming in at No. 9, and made the 15-book list for Combined Print and eBook Nonfiction, coming in at No. 11. However, by this week's tally it had fallen out of the top 15 on both lists.
U.K., U.S., Aussie Chart Updates Across the pond, Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 remains steady this week on the British country compilation album chart at No. 3, while her Diamonds & Rhinestones, The Greatest Hits Collection also holds on at No. 7, Dolly's Live from London rises four to No. 8, Glen Campbell's Ghost On The Canvas Sessions with a Dolly duet slips three to No. 17, while Emmylou Harris' Original Album Series Vol. 1 holds steady at No. 20 and Linda Ronstadt's entry in the series gains two to No. 16, both of which contain several Dolly appearances. Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, finds itself at No. 18 U.K. pop. Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 17 country albums. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, with its Dolly appearances, is No. 16 British country albums and No. 12 Americana albums.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 8 pop albums, Malone No. 3 Australian country albums and No. 47 pop, and Beyonce at No. 25 country.,
Stateside, Carpenter comes in at No. 14 pop albums and Malone No. 100 pop albums and No. 12 country albums.
Nov. 17: Dolly Receives Honorary Oscar
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Sunday presented Dolly with an honorary Oscar in recognition of her selection as the 2025 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award recipient for her philanthropic work. She could not attend due to a scheduling conflict announced prior to her recent health concerns, but she accepted the honor via a pretaped speech broadcast during The 16th Governors Awards, which also saw honorary Oscars given to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise and Wynn Thomas. Lily Tomlin introduced Dolly's honor in a rambling speech she blamed on a vision problem making it nearly impossible for her to read the teleprompters. Watch Dolly's acceptance speech here or in the media player above and Lily's introduction here or in the media player below.
'Holly Dolly Christmas' Goes Gold Two weeks prior to its fifth anniversary reissue as a vinyl picture disc (available for preorder here), the holiday collection A Holly Dolly Christmas on Nov. 7 was certified by the RIAA as Dolly's 19th career gold album for sales in excess of 500,000 copies. A deluxe anniversary CD edition is also on sale at HSN as an exclusive with a bonus track of "The Magic of Being Together," which she had released on her recent digital Dollywood 40th anniversary album.
Dolly Graces 'People,' 'US News'
Promoting her latest projects, Dolly is the current cover girl for People magazine with a new interview, a video version of which is available here or in the media player above. She also appears in the new issue of US News & World Report on their tally of the 25 Best Leaders of 2025 from the fields of business, education, health care, and public service. Recognized for her philanthropy, Dolly is highlighted here.
Dolly Travel Centers Coming Your Way Dolly is going to go head-to-head with Buc-ee with her latest venture, as Tennessean Travel Stops announced Monday that she has joined them to redesign and rebrand select locations as Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stops. The chain's flagship travel stop off I-65 in Cornersville, Tenn., south of Nashville will be renovated over coming months and debut the new structure and brand next summer. Serving as proof of concept, future sites in Tennessee and beyond will be announced next year. In a press release, Dolly said: "I have spent the bulk of my life on the road, and more specifically on a bus. All the years spent visiting greasy spoon cafes, truck stops, and roadside pit stops have given me an understanding of what traveler's desire on the road. Whether you are driving a truck, a bus, or a car, you want a place that feels like home and recharges you for the rest of your journey. I believe we will fill a void out there on the highways, all while bringing the heart and soul of Tennessee." While design details have yet to be revealed, the retailer promises "an evolved travel experience that integrates modern amenities, curated dining, and authentic regional retail with the approachable comfort travelers expect from both brands."
Third Coffeetable Book, 'Star Of The Show,' Hits Shelves
The third of Dolly's trilogy of coffetable book memoirs, Star Of The Show: My Life On Stage, hit shelves last week. She popped in to a few Nashville-area retailers to check it out in person and uploaded video of it to social media here and in the media player above. She also gave an interview to Entertainment Tonight available here or in the media player below.
New Jewelry Collection Comes Out The third collection of jewelry from Kendra Scott inspired by Dolly was released this month, themed around her song "Change It." Read more about the collection from The Hollywood Reporterhere.
Hotel Taking Reservations, Musuem Tickets On Sale Reservations are now open for Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel, and pre-sale tickets are available for Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum, both opening in June 2026 in downtown Nashville. Housed together under one roof, the hotel and museum will give guests two unique ways to experience the stories behind Dolly's life and music.For hotel reservations, visit www.songtellerhotel.com or call 1-877-SONGTELLER. "I am very excited about the opening of my Nashville hotel and museum next year!" Dolly said in a release. "Broadway has become such a hub of tourism, this felt like the right time to bring something special to all the wonderful activity in Nashville. I've always dreamed of being able to create something here in Music City and I know we've found the perfect addition to the city I call home." Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel will be home to Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum; the largest exhibition dedicated to Parton to date. Spanning the entire third floor of the hotel, more than 20,000 square feet, the museum is designed to immerse visitors in her extraordinary journey, featuring curated exhibits chronicling her rise "from the top of the mountains to the top of the world." Guests will gain unprecedented insight into her decades-spanning career across music, film, television, and philanthropy, as well as the personal values of family and faith that remain central to her story. Purchase museum pre-sale tickets at www.dollyslifeofmanycolors.com — hotel reservation not required. Dolly recorded a brief promotional video here.
Down Under, Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 3 Australian country albums, and Beyonce No. 25 country.
Dollywood Releases 2026 Calendar Dollywood recenly released its 2026 operating calendar with a few changes from previous years. Opening day will be on Friday, March 13, but unlike recent years when it has been a preview day for passholders, resort guests, and invited guests, it will be Grand Opening Day open to the general public. Also, instead of closing Tuesdays and Thursdays for four weeks in spring and four weeks in fall those breaks will be limited to two weeks each: the final two weeks of April, last week of August, and first week of September. The park will also be open on Halloween for the first time in many years, closing to switch over for Christmas Nov. 1-5, and opening the Christmas festival on Friday, Nov. 6, a day earlier than its usual Saturday opening. The season will conclude Jan. 3, 2027.
'Opry' CD With 'I Will Always Love You' Released The highly-anticipated Opry 100: Country's Greatest Songs CD was released this month, featuring a curated selection of the songs selected as the genre's best of all time in celebration of the centennial of The Grand Ole Opry including a 2007 performance of "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly to mentor Porter Wagoner at his 50th Opry anniversary celebration just months prior to his death. The Opry chose to use video of that performance as the primary promotional image for the album. Watch it here or in the media player below.
Sorry For Update Delays Apologies for the delay in updates. Your webmaster had a nasty eye infection for a while that made vision difficult, plus trying to catch up from missing work as a result further delayed the updates.
Oct. 21: Rumors Of Dolly's Deathbed Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
Dolly had to take to video herself to tell fans worldwide she is not in the process of dying after her sister earlier this month inadvertently sparked a media frenzy over her health.
As fans well know, Dolly cancelled several recent public appearances citing health issues (two Imagination Library speeches due to an infection and then her announcement of the 2026 attraction addition for Dollywood due to kidney stones) before announcing that unnamed health issues requiring "procedures" would prevent her from rehearsing for her December residency in Las Vegas, postponing that to September 2026. As the health concerns dominated the media, her team was pressured to release more information and confirm the issues were a result of Dolly's kidney stones which required surgery.
A few days after the Vegas postponement, the press picked up on that she was not going to attend the ceremony to receive her honorary Oscar in November and said that was due to her health issues as well, which her management was quick to refute, explaining she had a scheduling conflct with that appearance which was relayed to them prior to the illness and had been disclosed months ago on the event invitation.
Then steps in the well-meaning sister. Freida Parton, Dolly's second-youngest sister, shared to social media the following post early afternoon Oct. 7: "Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly. Many of you know she hasn't been feeling her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been lead to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me. She's strong, she's loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she's going to be just fine. Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you! ??"
Within hours, every major media outlet had picked up the story, making it sound like Dolly was on her deathbed, even though the post suggested nothing of the sort, giving the nonchalant description that Dolly just "hasn't been feeling her best lately.". (Granted, for those who were not raised in certain Christian denominations that emphasise prayer for all types of circumstances, when they hear a request for prayer they assume a person must be near death when in reality often prayer is requested for the most mundane circumstances.) Fans began sharing posts calling for prayer and protection and pondering what her passing as the world's most beloved celebrity would mean.
This spread to various AI-generated posts shared by bots showing fake photos of Dolly on her deathbed, often with visitor Reba McEntire. A couple of her nieces shared variations of only believe what Dolly says about Dolly's health, not anyone else, suggesting the issue had been overblown. Publiclists even took to reiterating the health issues are just kidney stones and "it got quite a bit blown out of proportion, weirdly," according to The Las Vegas Review Journal reported here. (Although Dolly has been notoriously private about her health for most of her life, she has acknowledged past issues with kidney stones requiring surgery, most recently on Dr. Oz in 2017.)
In response, Dolly's niece Danielle Parton shared to social media: "There has been no change in Dolly's health status from her statement last week. If Dolly had wanted to share more, give details, ask for prayers, whatever, she would have. If it doesn't come directly from Dolly it isn't authorized and unless she shared the information, you can bet it's private and none of mine or anyone else's business. Let's give her the space and grace she needs to handle whatever she is trying to handle. This hysteria isn't helping. In fact, it's causing undue stress for her and the rest of us. Even if good intentioned." The post resulted in a call from The National Enquirer, which she said on social media she declined to comment for, so they took quotes for their story from her post to make it look like she had granted an interview (something several tabloids have done in the past to your webmaster as well).
Less than 10 hours after the initial post, Freida shared the following clarification: "I want to clear something up. I didn't mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly. She's been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer. It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister. Thank you all for lifting her up. Your love truly makes a difference."
But even that didn't end the chatter, prompting Dolly herself the next day, Oct. 8, to interrupt her taping of commericals for The Grand Ole Opry (awaiting announcement of what that project is -- maybe Opry performances to celebrate the opening of her new Nashville hotel and museum?) to assure fans she's fine. "I know lately everybody thinks I'm sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you?" she joked in the video here or in the media player above. She thanked folks for the prayers and explained she didn't take care of herself as well as she should have in husband Carl's final days and after he passed, and now she has to take care of several health issues she had been putting off. "I wanted you to know that I'm not dying," she explained, adding humorous digs at the AI-generated claims otherwise with her and Reba (who replied with a video of her own here and in the media player below.
"I'm not ready to die yet. I don't think God is through with me," Dolly said. "And I ain't done working."
Another niece, Jada Starr, Freida's daughter, found the humor in it, posting a "put down your finger" video about her mom "making the Internet and entire world panic with one of her Facebook posts . . . "
Regardless, the situation showed just how beloved Dolly is nationwide and how close tens of millions of Americans feel to her.
'Star Of The Show' Contest Starts To promote Dolly's new book, Star Of The Show: My Life On Stage on Nov. 11, Dolly is giving away a trip to her new hotel. One grand prize winner who enters by Nov. 16 will receive two tickets to Dolly's upcomiing Life of Many Colors Museum in Nashville, two nights at her upcoming SongTeller Hotel in Music City, two tickets to The Grand Ole Opry, two tickets for a daytime backstage tour or the Opry House, and a prepaid gift card of $1,000 to help with travel costs. Enter online here with your order number if you have pre-ordered the book. A free entry may also be made without purchase by sending your first and last name, home address, email address, and phone number with area code on a postcard postmarked by Nov. 17 and received by Nov. 21 to Star of the Show Sweepstakes, Penguin Random House, Attn: Allison Renzulli, 1745 Broadway - 1521, New York, NY 10019. Limit one entry per person regardless of method of entry. The trip must be taken at a date chosen by the winner within 12 months of the opening of the hotel, which is currently expected in June 2026.
Dolly Goes 'Dutch' With Lodge, Ovens That Is Thanks to Dolly, Lodge is releasing its first-ever enamel cookware with a series of Dolly-branded dutch ovens. The glitter-kissed ovens bear Dolly's name on the lid and come in the shades of Blush & Bashful, Islands In The Stream, Mountain Mist, and Hard Candy Christmas. Check out a story from The Pioneer Womanhere.
Second Round Of Joleans Jeans Released Dolly has released her second collection of denim clothing and accessories in her Joleans line under Good American, available in retail stores nationwide as well as the brand's website. A total of 24 new pieces are available including Joleans flare in a new wash and a straight-cut denim.
'9 To 5, Jr.' Musical Released Given its popularity in recent years as a high school and local theater production, Music Theater International has announced release of the edited middle school version of 9 To 5: The Musical as 9 To 5, Jr., running in at 60 minutes. Learn more here.
'London' Vinyl Tops U.K. Country Compilations Across the pond, the vinyl double-album re-issue of Live from London lands that title at No. 1 on the British country compilation chart this week, knocking Very Best Of Dolly Parton Vol. 1 down one spot to No. 2, while her Diamonds & Rhinestones, The Greatest Hits Collection sits at No. 6, Glen Campbell's Ghost On The Canvas Sessions with a Dolly duet slips at No. 9, and Emmylou Harris's Original Album Series Volume 1 at No. 9 and Volume 2 at No. 10, both of which include Dolly appearances. Sabrina Carpenter's Short & Sweet Deluxe Edition, with its Dolly duet, finds itself at No. 12 U.K. pop, No. 32 Scottish albums, No. 31 album sales, No. 29 physical album sales, and No. 11 streaming albums. Post Malone's F 1 Trillion, with its Dolly duet, is No. 14 country albums. Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, with its Dolly appearances, finds itself at No. 8 Ameriana albums No. 20 British country albums.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 8 pop albums, Malone No. 41 Australian pop and No. 2 country albums, and Beyonce No. 22 country.
Stateside, Carpenter comes in at No. 11 pop albums and Malone No. 73 pop albums and No. 7 country albums.
Oct. 7: Latest Fallout From Dolly's Health Postponements Since the news that health issues would postpone her Vegas residency in December, a few related items have popped up in the news. First, The Colosseum at Ceasar's Palace has announced that Tim McGraw has scheduled a mini-residency at the venue to replace most of Dolly's dates: Dec. 4, 6, 12, and 13, leaving her originally-scheduled nights of Dec. 7 and 10 open. A spokesperson told Deadline that her illness will not impact the development schedule for her Broadway biopic and its intended 2026 Great White Way debut. Also, her spokesperson told several media outlets, including USA Today, that her lack of appearance at the Nov. 16 Governor's Awards for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts to accept her honorary Oscar for humanitarian work was not because of her illness. The Academy was told in June when they notified her of the honor that a schedule conflict existed and she would have to accept remotely from Nashville that evening, and invitations issued shortly thereafter also noted the plan to skip the ceremony.
Two New Dolly Vinyls Coming Soon A couple of special edition Dolly vinyls will be released over the next two months, it has been announced. First, a mini-single four-inch vinyl of her collaboration with Motley Crue, "Home Sweet Home", will come out as a Target exclusive on Oct. 17 here. In addition, a fifth anniversary edition of her most recent holiday collection, A Holly Dolly Christmas, will come out as a vinyl picture disc Nov. 21. Reserve your copy here.
'Rainbowland' Teacher's Firing Upheld By Court A First Amendment suit by a Wisconsin teacher fired after publicly complaining her school prohibited elementary students from singing Dolly and Miley Cyrus' "Rainbowland" and Kermit the Frog's "Rainbow Connection" at a school function due to potential controversy of rainbows being associated with LGBTQIA+ acceptance was dismissed last week by a federal judge. Public school teachers, as government employees, enjoy freedom of speech protections greater than private employees and generally cannot be disciplined for off-the-clock and outside-the-classroom speech unless they falsely represent their comments as the position of the school itself or if the speech severely disrupts the learning environment. The judge found that calls from activists on both sides of the issue following her public disclosure of the controversy severely impacted the school's ability to function and therefore met the disruption exemption to allow her termination. Read more from Wisconsin Public Radio here.
EV Ports, Personal Charging Umbrellas Added To Dollywood Dollywood last week unveiled 14 new electric vehicle charging ports in its parking lot and 10 solar-powered umbrella personal device charging units in the park.
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 10 pop albums, Malone No. 3 Australian country albums, and Beyonce No. 20 country.
Stateside, Carpenter comes in at No. 14 pop albums and Malone No. 56 pop albums and No. 7 country albums.
Sept. 30: Vegas Residency Postponed A Year For the third time in the past few weeks, Dolly last week revealed a health issue prevented her from making a public appearance, but this time it appears to be more serious and will postpone her sold out Las Vegas residency to a year from now, nine months later than originally scheduled. In a message to fans on social media, Dolly revealed her continuing health issues will require surgeries to correct, preventing her from adequate rehearsal for the December string of shows at The Colosseum at Caesar's Palace. Her statement read: "I want the fans and public to hear directly from me that, unfortunately, I will need to postpone my upcoming Las Vegas concerts. As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it's not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon! In all seriousness, given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see. You pay good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you. While I'll still be able to work on all of my projects from here in Nashville, I just need a little time to get show ready, as they say. And don't worry about me quittin' the business because God hasn't said anything about stopping yet. But, I believe He is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you. I love you and thank you for understanding." The six shows Dec. 4-13 will now run Sept. 17-26, 2026. Tickets will be honored for the new dates, and refunds will be available for those who can't make it. No information was given about the nature of the medical issues or surgeries, but she had previously cancelled Imagination Library appearances last month citing an inner ear infection that prevented her from flying to New Mexico and Montana on Aug. 27, and then earlier this month she said a kidney stone that had led to an infection prevented her from driving from Nashville to Dollywood to announce the park's 2026 addition on Sept. 17. She historically has been very private about her health, rarely sharing information about health issues, which makes these three announcements concerning to fans who are praying for her recovery.
Dolly Helps Wiggles Get Nomination Kids entertainers The Wiggles received a nomination last week from the ARIA Awards in Australis for Best Children's Album for their country outing Wiggle Up, Giddy Up, which contains two Dolly covers and two additional Dolly collaborations. Winners will be announced Nov. 19.
'Butterfly' Falls From The Charts After one week at No. 1 on the country digital song sales chart and one week at No. 6 on the all-genre digital songs chart, Dolly and the Zac Brown Band's "Butterfly" falls off both tallies in the Sept. 27 Billboard numbers released last Tuesday. In other charts:
Down Under, Carpenter is No. 7 pop albums, Malone No. 2 Australian country albums, and Beyonce No. 16 country.
Stateside, Carpenter comes in at No. 14 pop albums, Malone No. 53 pop albums and No. 8 country albums, and Beyonce falls off the top 50 country albums chart.
For the archive of monthly news stories, click here.
"Dollymania: The Online Dolly Parton Newsmagazine. Your premier resource for Dolly Parton news and information." These pages are not affiliated with Dolly Parton, Dolly Parton Enterprises or Dollywood. Original text and images are copyrighted by Duane Gordon/www.dollymania.net or by their respective owners and published here with permission. These may not be reproduced without prior written consent.
Dolly is going to go head-to-head with Buc-ee with her latest venture, as Tennessean Travel Stops announced Monday that she has joined them to redesign and rebrand select locations as 