Days before her death at 80, Dolly Parton made it clear she wasn’t quitting her work anytime soon.
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Despite the health problems that have been plaguing her for the last year, Parton told People she was “still workin’” in an August 21 conversation.
“I’ve often said — I’ve dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life,” she revealed.
One of the things she was working on was a new way to give her fans a musical musical experience. The “Jolene” singer was planning to do a Las Vegas residency in 2025, but postponed due to her health. It was canceled in 2026.
Parton and her team were collaborating with companies who create “avatar performances,” she told People. However, they were in the “early stages of development.”
And she was preparing to open up the Life of Many Colors Museum in Nashville, which will give fans an up close and personal look at Dolly’s life and stories.
According to the museum’s website, it “is the largest exhibit celebrating her life anywhere in the world, spanning every dynamic decade from the top of the mountains to the top of the world.”
“Dolly will take you through her many worlds of music and movies, family and faith combined in a kaleidoscope of dreams, hopes and, of course, dazzling style. Her mosaic of memories, as songwriter, actress, musician, philanthropist, the Smoky Mountain Songbird and global icon, create the gritty and glittery backdrop for her story to unfold,” the description adds.
The museum will be in Parton’s new SongTeller Hotel in the heart of Nashville, which will be open to guests in September 2026.
She was also excited to launch her Cup of Ambition Coffee in partnership with Community Coffee.
“That’s a dream I’ve had for over 40 years, ever since I wrote the line about ‘cup of ambition’ in my song ‘9 to 5,’” she said. “But, you know, some dreams take longer to come to life than others.”