THE APEX TIMES
Dolly Parton says she picked a different funeral song years ago, and left an unreleased track intended for 2046
The country icon told an interviewer in 2015 that she expects audiences to play “I Will Always Love You” at her death, but described a separate choice and a long-planned release window for another song.
Dolly Parton said she chose the music she wants played at her funeral more than a decade before explaining the plan publicly, according to an interview published in 2015 and revisited in a recent report. Parton framed the decision in personal terms, recalling how the song “I Will Always Love You” was played when Whitney Houston died and saying she expects a similar moment when she dies.
In the same 2015 interview, Parton also described having a different funeral song in mind. The Billboard report characterizes the choice as one she made well before the interview, with Parton describing how she wants her own legacy curated at a moment that does not depend on market timing or promotional calendars.
Parton’s account also included a separate, longer-range music plan. The report says she left an unreleased song intended to be heard in 2046, effectively setting a multi-decade “time capsule” for material that is not yet part of standard releases.
The concept described by Parton places “I Will Always Love You” as a culturally recognizable anchor, while distinguishing the specific funeral-song selection and the later 2046 hearing date for the unreleased track. The approach reflects a deliberate strategy around when songs should surface rather than a strategy focused only on immediate audience demand.
Parton’s comments were delivered in the context of how fans and the public typically engage with artists’ catalog milestones, including how broadcasters and memorial services select songs when major figures pass away. The Billboard piece emphasizes that Parton’s plan is rooted in her expectations for how her music will be remembered, not in any announcement of a near-term release.
The report does not indicate that the 2046 track has been released, nor does it provide additional timelines or steps beyond Parton’s description of leaving it for a future date. As with other long-lead releases in the entertainment industry, key details such as distribution, rights handling, and exact public availability would depend on the specific arrangements tied to the track.
With Parton’s comments resurfacing, the public conversation is likely to center on the tension between immediate streaming-era consumption and the artist’s stated desire to control the timing of when certain recordings are heard. For now, the only confirmed elements are Parton’s 2015 description: a funeral-song choice she made years earlier, and an unreleased song meant to be heard in 2046.
As of the date of the Billboard report, Parton has not tied the 2046 plan to a specific project announcement, tour, or album cycle within the coverage described. The next practical step for fans who want clarity would be additional statements from Parton or her representatives about how and where the 2046 track will be released when the time comes.
Why It Matters
- The comments highlight how major artists may plan legacy choices in advance, including which songs memorial services and media outlets are likely to play.
- Parton’s described 2046 timeline reflects a departure from the usual rapid release cycle of recorded music, potentially shaping how fans and distributors think about unreleased catalog.
- If Parton follows through on the 2046 plan, it would create a long-term, date-specific event for audiences rather than an album-linked rollout.
- The approach also raises practical questions around rights, administration, and distribution for recordings that are intentionally withheld for decades, though those details are not provided in the report.
Key Facts
- A Billboard report revisits Dolly Parton remarks from a 2015 interview about what music she expects to be played at her funeral.
- In that 2015 account, Parton said she expects “I Will Always Love You” to be played when she dies, drawing on how it was used in connection with Whitney Houston’s death.
- The report says Parton also described having a different funeral song that she had chosen more than a decade earlier.
- Parton told the interviewer that she left an unreleased song intended to be heard in 2046.
- The coverage centers on Parton’s stated plans for when specific recordings should be heard, rather than on any immediate release of the 2046 track.