Dolly Parton Chose the Song She Wanted at Her Funeral—And It Wasn’t One of Her Own

Years before her passing, Dolly Parton revealed something deeply personal: the song she wanted to hear at her own funeral. And surprisingly, it wasn’t “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” or even “I Will Always Love You.”

In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dolly acknowledged that “I Will Always Love You” would probably be played frequently after her death, especially because of its connection to Whitney Houston.

But when it came to her own funeral, Dolly had a very different song in mind.

She chose an old country-gospel hymn called “If We Never Meet Again.” 🕊️

The song carries a simple but powerful message about saying goodbye in this life while holding onto the hope of meeting again in heaven.

Dolly explained that the lyrics spoke to her deeply:

“If we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore.”

But there was an even more personal reason Dolly wanted the song played.

It was her father’s favorite.

Her father, Robert Lee Parton, passed away in 2000. Dolly remembered that the family sang the song at his funeral—and years later, she said she wanted the same song at hers.

“That was my daddy’s favorite. We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine.”

That one sentence makes the song feel completely different.

For Dolly, this wasn’t about fame or having one of her biggest hits played one final time.

It was about family. Her father. Faith. And the promise of seeing loved ones again.

“If We Never Meet Again” was written by Albert E. Brumley in the 1940s and became a beloved country-gospel standard, recorded or performed by numerous artists over the decades.

Dolly never released a studio recording of the song, but she performed it live—and clearly carried its meaning with her for years.

And now, knowing exactly why Dolly chose it, the words feel especially heartbreaking:

“I will meet you on that beautiful shore.”

Sometimes the most meaningful farewell isn’t the biggest hit.

It’s the song that takes you home.