Dolly Parton recorded a secret final song. The chestnut box holding it cannot be opened until 2045
'It's just burning me up inside that I have to leave it in there,' Parton said
Quietly tucked behind a protective glass wall in Dolly Parton’s Dollywood DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge is a wooden "Dream" box crafted from the chestnut trees in her garden. Inside is a song Parton wrote for a posthumous project. Ever since the iconic "Jolene" singer took her last breath on August 25, 2026, everyone is now busy thinking about the secret box — curious to see what’s hiding inside. However, as Parton had previously mentioned, it could not be opened until PEOPLE reported it in 2022.
'Feels like burying one of my kids'
In her book “Songteller: My Life in Lyrics,” Parton admitted that the idea of leaving behind a time capsule after her death felt like a surreal concept. "That’s like burying one of my kids...It’s just burning me up inside that I have to leave it in there," she said. Along with the music recording, Parton included a CD player and cassette player with complete instructions to ensure future generations have easy access to hardware irrespective of the audio technology of the time.
"You have no idea how that has bothered me. I want to dig that up so bad. It's a really good song," Parton exclaimed on The Kelly Clarkson show¸ back in 2022, before echoing a similar emotion on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She also acknowledged the frustration of locking the music away until a time when she might no longer be there to listen to it. At first, Parton revealed that her marketing team was skeptical of the time capsule, because they were worried she wouldn't survive until 99 to watch its magic unfold.
A little box of history
"I don’t know if I want to live to be 100 or not. But you never know. I might, and if I do, I’m going to be at that opening," she said, recalling the moment. Besides the much-awaited song, the time capsule also includes Parton's childhood mementos such as her old tin can microphone and a CD player. Meanwhile, a placard within the Dream Box says that the box is a tribute to Parton’s original mentor and uncle, Bill Owens, who worked tirelessly to preserve the American chestnut tree. The note also says that the song inside the box is titled “My Place in History” and only Parton herself knew its melody and content; no one else. For those who don't know, the singer passed away at the age of 80 after a "brief battle with cancer," as her team confirmed.
Parton's not alone
Parton’s time capsule is not the first one of its kind. Artists worldwide have been locking away their artworks for future generations. In fact, according to The International Time Capsule Society based at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, there are an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 time capsules worldwide, per the BBC. Similarly, The Andy Warhol Museum has over 600 time capsules and 300,000 items sealed between 1974 and 1987.
As for Parton, the wooden box is just one speck of her legacy. In addition to this song, Parton has several other projects in the pipeline, including a biopic, documentary, avatar show, dog treats, and a coffee brand, per the BBC. Also, "Dolly, A True Original Musical," a musical based on her life, will be released on Broadway on January 19, 2027, her 81st birthday.
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