Even after her passing on Tuesday at the age of 80, Dolly Parton’s songs will continue to have an impact on the world: however, this particular song is not yet available for us to listen to. The secret song, titled “My Place in History,” was explained by Parton during her appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” in 2022, where she stated that the song was written and recorded in 2015. That same year, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa opened in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and the CD containing the song’s recording was placed inside a sealed chestnut box and put on display in a glass case at the resort. The box itself is a tribute to Parton’s uncle, Bill Owens, who was her original mentor and someone that worked to preserve the American Chestnut tree. Displayed alongside the box is a copy of her book Dream More and a piece of wood from the front porch of her childhood home in Tennessee.
“My Place in History” will not be released until 2046, when Parton would have been 99 years old. This decision was not easy for her to make: when discussing her love for the song with Kelly Clarkson, Parton exclaimed, “I wanna go dig that up so bad and think, ‘Well I need to use that song, cause like, you know, and it’s a really good song!” Parton also explained her worry that the song will rot in its case before its opening, meaning that no one will get the chance to hear it. Hopefully, the song will survive the passage of time, and we will be able to listen to the final song of this beloved artist (if not for another two decades). In the meantime, fans will continue to listen to and cherish the hundreds of songs that Parton released throughout the course of her storied career.
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