Dolly Parton left behind a secret song that cannot be opened until 2045

As the world mourns the loss of music icon Dolly Parton, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80, fans are remembering one of the most intriguing parting gifts she left behind: a secret song locked away until the year 2045.

The country legend recorded a hidden, unreleased track that remains securely preserved in a time capsule at her Dollywood DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Under Parton's strict instructions, the capsule is not permitted to be opened until 2045—the year the resort marks its 30th anniversary, and when Parton would have celebrated her 99th birthday.

Speaking about the mysterious recording in her book Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, Parton previously admitted that leaving behind music intended for release long after her death felt like a surreal concept.

She wrote: “They said, 'You'll be long dead.' I said, 'Well, maybe not. I'll be 99. I've seen people live to be older than that.' So I wrote this song, and I can't say what it is. That's like burying one of my kids, putting it on ice or something, and I won't be around to see it brought back to life. It's just burning me up inside that I have to leave it in there.”

The country legend recorded one never before heard track to be released after her death (UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

Preserved in Chestnut Wood

The recording itself rests inside a custom wooden box crafted from chestnut trees from her East Tennessee home, displayed behind protective glass in the lobby of the DreamMore resort.

Ever practical, Parton made sure to include a physical CD player and complete instructions alongside the recording, ensuring that future generations will still possess the hardware required to play the disc regardless of how audio technology evolves.

Despite orchestrating the special tribute, the prolific songwriter—who composed thousands of tracks throughout her six-decade career—famously joked about the frustration of locking away her art.

“You have no idea how that has bothered me. I want to dig that up so bad. It's a really good song!” She told the Kelly Clarkson Show back in 2022, before echoing a similar sentiment on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon just one year later.

“I keep wanting them to let me dig it up and put something else in there that is not as good. If any of you are around when they open my box, I hope you enjoy my song.”

It will be almost twenty years before fans get to hear it (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

A Voice for Future Generations

Beyond the sealed time capsule, Parton planned extensively to ensure her musical legacy would outlive her.

Over the years, she curated thousands of unreleased vocal tracks, raw demos, and arrangements intended to allow future artists and producers to collaborate with her voice for decades to come.

While tributes pour in from around the globe for the Queen of Country, her final musical secret remains quietly sealed in the Great Smoky Mountains—waiting for 2045 to be heard.