Dolly Parton revealed the one song she wanted played at her funeral years before her death
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Dolly Parton’s death at the age of 80 after battling cancer has been met with shock and mourning from fans around the world. The country music legend died on August 25, 2026, leaving behind a career that spanned decades and produced some of the most enduring songs in country music.
Now, a detail about Parton’s final wishes has resurfaced. More than a decade before her death, the singer-songwriter revealed the song she wanted played at her funeral, a country-gospel hymn that had a deeply personal connection to her family.
Dolly Parton revealed her funeral song in 2014
During a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the country music icon shared that “There’s a song called 'If We Never Meet Again.'”
“It’s an old country-gospel church song that talks about if we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore. ‘Where the charming roses bloom forever and where separations come no more,’” she added.
“That was my daddy’s favorite,” she continued. “We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine.”
The song was especially meaningful to Parton because it had been her father’s favorite. She had also heard it at his funeral, making her decision to choose it for her own farewell deeply personal.
Parton also said that her 1973 song, 'I Will Always Love You', would be played. The song became a major hit when Whitney Houston released her own version for the 1992 film 'The Bodyguard', nearly two decades after Parton originally recorded it.
Parton said, “I’m sure they’ll be playing ‘I Will Always Love You’ when I die, just like they did with Whitney Houston. When they picked her coffin up and started in on that song, I started to cry, and I thought, ‘Oh my Lord.’”
However, while Parton expected 'I Will Always Love You' to be part of the music played after her death, it was 'If We Never Meet Again' that she specifically requested for her funeral
Where will Dolly Parton be laid to rest
The legendary singer will be laid to rest beside her husband, Carl Dean, at Nashville’s Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum. As per reports, a private service will be held.
“At Dolly's request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family,” her representatives said in an official statement.
Dean died at the age of 82 in March 2025, after nearly 60 years of marriage to Parton. The couple married in 1966 and remained together until his death.
Parton’s nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, also revealed that she had made specific requests for her final arrangements. Her family has asked fans who wish to honor her to make donations to her Imagination Library instead of sending flowers.
The resurfaced 2014 interview offers a glimpse into how deliberately Parton had thought about her final farewell. While her biggest hits were expected to feature in tributes, the song she personally chose carried a connection to her father and to the family memories that shaped her life and music.
