Dolly Parton revealed more than a decade before her death that she wanted a 1940s gospel standard performed at her funeral.
The country music legend, 80, shared the request in an interview years before she died, specifying “If We Never Meet Again” as her chosen farewell song. The hymn was written by Southern Gospel songwriter Albert E. Brumley and first published in 1945.
“There’s a song called If We Never Meet Again,” Parton said in the interview. “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.”
She continued to recite the lyrics from memory: “Where the charming roses bloom forever and where separations come no more.”
The song carried deep family significance for the Tennessee native. It was played at her father Robert Parton Sr.’s funeral in 2000, a detail she noted when explaining her choice.
“That was my daddy’s favorite,” the icon noted. “We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine.”
Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced Parton’s death in a prepared video statement on Monday (August 25), fulfilling a request she had made years earlier. Seaver had served as her head of security for two years in addition to being a family member.
“I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t really felt it until now,” Seaver said in the video. “It is an honor, an honor that is mixes with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly.”
He added that his aunt had specifically asked him to be the one to announce her death when the time came.
Seaver continued: “My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. She has always been your television, your record player, your CD, becoming an extended part of your family. Whether you liked it or not. Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever.”
Parton’s family confirmed in an Instagram statement that a small, private service will be held for immediate family only, per the singer’s explicit request. They invited fans worldwide to pay tribute on social media by tagging @DollyParton or leaving messages.
The “Jolene” singer-songwriter died after a brief, private battle with cancer, her team confirmed. News of her death came just four days after she said in what would be her final interview, “I still have so many things I want to achieve.”
In the viral moment that captured her enduring optimism, Parton celebrated the anniversary of one of her biggest hits in her final Instagram post ten days before her death. The post marked another milestone in a career that spanned more than six decades and produced 25 number-one singles on the Billboard country charts.
Beyond the funeral song revelation, Parton had made another long-term plan for her musical legacy. She reportedly left an unreleased song locked away to be heard publicly for the first time in 2046, continuing her tradition of thinking decades ahead about how her work would reach future audiences.
Parton’s family has not announced any public memorial events beyond the private service.