Dolly Parton has one last song buried in a time capsule until 2046
Dolly Parton has one final unreleased song, "My Place In History," buried in a time capsule beneath Dollywood DreamMore Resort and Spa. Sealed in 2015, the chestnut "Dream Box" is not scheduled to open until January 19, 2046—Parton's would-be 100th birthday—making it a posthumous gift fans may wait two decades to hear.
Country music icon Dolly Parton died Tuesday after a brief battle with cancer at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, her representatives confirmed. Yet even after her death, several posthumous projects remain—including a secret track that only Parton knew in full until the capsule is opened.
Key Takeaways
- Parton buried "My Place In History" in a chestnut box at Dollywood DreamMore Resort in 2015.
- The time capsule includes cassette and CD copies plus players, and is set to open on Jan. 19, 2046.
- A placard states only Parton knew the song's melody and lyrics until the reveal.
- Parton told Kelly Clarkson in 2022 she worried the recording might disintegrate before anyone hears it.
- Other posthumous projects include a Broadway musical opening Jan. 19, 2027.
What Song Did Dolly Parton Bury in the Time Capsule?
The unreleased track is titled "My Place In History." According to a placard inside the chestnut "Dream Box," Parton wrote it as her intended last song. The box also holds physical copies on cassette and CD, along with players needed to listen to them.
The capsule serves as a tribute to Parton's uncle and mentor Bill Owens, who worked to preserve the American Chestnut tree. Parton described the buried song as "a really good song" during a 2022 appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," though she joked she did not know "whose damn idea" burying it was.
When Will Dolly Parton's Time Capsule Be Opened?
Parton and her team buried the box in 2015. It is meant to stay sealed until after Dollywood celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2045, timed for Parton's 100th birthday on January 19, 2046.
On Kelly Clarkson's show, Parton acknowledged she might not be alive for the unveiling. "I figure it'll probably disintegrate, probably nobody ever hears it," she said. "That's what bothers me, to think that it's gonna be a song that nobody's ever gonna hear if it rots in there before they open it."
What Other Posthumous Dolly Parton Projects Are Still Coming?
Beyond the time capsule, Parton left several projects in motion. A Nashville museum and hotel, Purina dog treat endorsements, and her Cup of Ambition coffee brand were among her ongoing ventures.
"Dolly, A True Original Musical" is scheduled to open on Broadway on January 19, 2027—the date that would have marked her 81st birthday. For more on entertainment news and streaming updates, see our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.
Parton's representatives told Variety that she "spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched." The buried song adds one more chapter fans cannot yet hear.