Prior to her passing at 80 last week, Parton had requested that the traditional gospel hymn "If We Never Meet Again" be played at her funeral.
According to E!, the small funeral for the singer who died on Aug. 25 at age 80 following what was described as a brief battle with cancer was held at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville.
While no further details were available about the service at press time, in announcing her death last week, Parton’s nephew, Brian Seaver, revealed in a video that his aunt had a special request for how she should be buried.
In a 2014 interview with EW, Parton was asked what song she wanted to be played at her funeral, and while many expected her to pick the beloved “I Will Always Love You,” — the song she wrote and recorded and which later became a massive Billboard Hot 100 No.
1 smash for Whitney Houston — Parton chose another poignant song instead.
In addition to picking out that song, Parton also locked an unreleased song called “My Place in History” in a chestnut box at the Dollywood DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
The tune was written in 2015, the same year the resort opened, and Parton’s wishes were that it be unveiled on what would have been her 100th birthday on Jan. 19, 2046.
While fans could not pay their respects in person, Parton’s team said if admirers wanted to participate they could tag her on social media or share a donation to her book-gifting nonprofit, Imagination Library.
The Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral home’s memorial for the singer read: “A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family.
Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, kindness, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.
Suas canções continuarão a ressoar entre pessoas de todas as idades, e seu trabalho filantrópico terá um impacto duradouro.
Parton was honored by her fellow country stars and peers at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday (Aug. 29), where Carly Pearce, Jelly Roll, Kathy Mattea, Ketch Secor and Molly Tuttle, Channing Wilson and Parton’s niece, Jada Star took the stage at the Nashville institution that inducted Parton in 1969.
It was just the latest in a flood of tributes that have poured in since the beloved singer’s death last week in an outpouring of love for a one-of-a-kind performer whose career transcended music and touched millions around the world.
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