Dolly Parton’s unreleased song will stay hidden for nearly 20 years until her 100th birthday

Dolly Parton left behind an extraordinary final musical surprise, but fans will have to wait until 2046 to hear it. The country music legend recorded an unreleased song titled "My Place in History" and arranged for it to be sealed inside a time capsule at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The recording is scheduled to be unveiled on January 19, 2046, the date that would have marked Parton’s 100th birthday.

The unusual plan dates back to 2015, when DreamMore Resort opened. Parton wrote and recorded "My Place in History" as part of a time capsule project connected to the resort. The song was placed inside a chestnut box, which was then secured with instructions that it should remain unopened until the specified date in 2046.

The box contains a CD recording of the song and playback equipment, ensuring that the future audience will have the means to hear the track when the capsule is eventually opened. Reports have also noted that a cassette version was included, making the package a carefully preserved snapshot of the technology and music culture surrounding Parton when the song was recorded.

Parton previously discussed the unusual project publicly and admitted that she had become impatient with her own decision to lock the song away. In a 2022 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she explained that the idea came from a request connected to Dollywood. She was asked to create a song that would remain unheard for decades.

Parton later joked that she regretted sealing the track because she believed it was particularly good. Her comments added an amusing twist to an otherwise carefully planned musical time capsule, especially because she knew she would eventually have to wait alongside everyone else for the recording to be heard.

The song now carries a poignant significance following Parton’s death on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80. Her publicist confirmed that she died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, following a brief battle with cancer. Her death brought tributes from musicians, actors, political figures and fans around the world.

Parton’s career stretched across six decades and included some of the most recognisable songs in country music, including "Jolene", "9 to 5" and "I Will Always Love You". She also became a major figure in film and television, appearing in projects including 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias. Beyond entertainment, she built a substantial philanthropic legacy through initiatives including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Her connection to Dollywood was also central to her public legacy. Parton became involved with the Tennessee theme park in 1986, helping transform it into an attraction closely associated with her life, music and Appalachian roots. The resort and park now hold an unusual piece of that history in the form of the sealed recording.

The timing means "My Place in History" will remain unavailable for almost two decades after Parton’s death. According to Dollywood spokesperson Wes Ramey, the plan remains to release the song on Parton’s 100th birthday in 2046.