On a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Dolly Parton shared that she has always been bothered by a decision to lock up one of her songs at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa at Dollywood in Tennessee.
What’s Happening:
- Back in 2015, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa opened to everyone, sitting adjacent to the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, TN. Dollywood and the DreamMore Resort both celebrate country music icon and local legend, Dolly Parton. So, as part of the fun of the first official resort and spa at Dollywood, a special time capsule was made and put on display and will not be opened until the resort’s 30th anniversary in 2045.
- It’s that time capsule that was brought up just a few days ago by Dolly herself while appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Inside that very time capsule is what is set to be Dolly Parton’s last song. When the time comes to reopen the capsule, Dolly will be 99 years old. In her interview, she states “I’m just saying, I might be there. Who knows? But the point is, there is a song – I figure it’ll probably disintegrate, probably nobody ever hears it. That’s what bothers me, to think that it’s gonna be a song that nobody’s ever gonna hear if it rots in there before they open it.”
- While Parton doesn’t appear to be concerned whether or not she will be around for the release of the song, she is more concerned that fans won’t ever get to hear it. However, the time capsule, a chestnut box that is currently locked under glass at the DreamMore Resort and Spa, also reportedly contains the song on different listening formats (cassette, CD, etc) and their corresponding devices in which to be able to play them, just in case.
- While she doesn’t talk much about the actual song in the interview, which – according to a placard placed alongside the wooden box that contains it – is called “My Place in History,” and was written and recorded in 2015. That aforementioned chestnut box was also carefully crafted by Dolly’s own uncle Bill Owens before his passing a few years later. The chestnut box also shares a display with a piece of wood from her childhood home, which has since been moved to Dollywood, and is a display piece for park guests to walk through to learn more about Dolly’s roots.
- Dolly first revealed that the song existed in her book “Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics” and fans have been anxiously waiting to hear it when the day comes. In her Kelly Clarkson interview, she sounds like she is probably the most eager to hear it of all, saying “You have no idea how that has bothered me…I want to dig that up so bad,” before adding “It’s a really good song.” According to the placard with the box, only Dolly herself knows the content and melody of the song.
<p>Dolly Parton’s hall of musical albums is pictured at Dollywood’s new DreamMore Resort during its grand opening on Monday, July 27, 2015 in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. (Shawn Millsaps/Special to News Sentinel)</p>
- While Dolly uses terms like “buried” and “rot” in her interview, the special chestnut box is not actually underground and can actually be seen (but not heard) by guests at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa. As of press time, the entire display that includes the chestnut box containing the song and the wood from her childhood cabin, can be found in the hotel’s lower lobby, out in the open for all to see. It’s just one of many tributes and displays dedicated to Parton that can be found throughout the hotel. Guests strolling through the hotel can also discover countless albums and musical instruments used by the legendary artist.