Remembering Dolly Parton, and Her Louisiana Beginning
- Louisiana Country Music
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
Country music, and honestly the whole world, lost someone irreplaceable on August 25, 2026. Dolly Parton was 80. She was a songwriter of rare honesty, a performer who could fill an arena with the same warmth as a front porch, and, by every account from those who knew her, every bit as generous and kind in person as she seemed on stage. That combination is why this loss lands so hard, here in Louisiana and everywhere else her music reached.
Long before "9 to 5" and "I Will Always Love You," Parton's very first recording session happened right here in Louisiana. Over the decades that followed, she graced the state more than once.
The Bus Ride to Lake Charles
In March 1959, a 13 year old Parton and her grandmother, Rena Owens, took a 30 hour bus trip from East Tennessee to Goldband Records in Lake Charles, a label founded by Eddie Shuler that also released early records from Boozoo Chavis and Phil Phillips. Parton later described the ride itself as unforgettable, recalling the smell of "diesel fuel, Naugahyde, and people who were going places."
At the studio, she recorded "Puppy Love," a song she had written at age 11 with her uncle, Bill Owens. The B side, "Girl Left Alone," was written by Parton along with her aunt Dorothy Jo Owens and Owens. Goldband released the single on April 20, 1959. It did not chart nationally, but it gave a teenager from a one room cabin her first taste of hearing her own voice on the radio, and her first single credit.
Dolly, Down in New Orleans
Parton returned to Louisiana nearly three decades later, now a superstar in her own right, filming a 1988 episode of her variety show on location in New Orleans. The special, Dolly (Down in New Orleans), brought her together with an extraordinary lineup of the city's own musical royalty: Doug Kershaw, Pete Fountain, Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, The Dixie Cups, The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Rockin' Dopsie & the Cajun Twisters, and chef Paul Prudhomme. For one broadcast, the Queen of Country stood shoulder to shoulder with the sound of New Orleans itself, and by all accounts, she fit right in.
She came back to the city again on November 30, 2016, playing the Smoothie King Center as part of her Pure & Simple Tour, her biggest North American run in more than 25 years. Local coverage of the show described a packed house rising to its feet the moment the opening notes of "Jolene" began.
A Legacy Still Unfolding
Parton's world was still growing right up to her passing. Her Tennessean Travel Stop, a reimagined truck stop and travel center in Cornersville, Tennessee, opened on June 24, 2026, with more Dolly branded locations planned. Her SongTeller Hotel in downtown Nashville begins taking guest reservations on September 14, 2026, with a museum dedicated to her life set to follow that October. Dolly: A True Original Musical, the Broadway biomusical she wrote and produced herself, will open at the St. James Theatre on January 19, 2027, what would have been her 81st birthday, with producers confirming it will move forward exactly as she planned it. And one more piece of Dolly is still to come: a song called "My Place in History," recorded in 2015 and sealed inside a "Dream Box" at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort, is not scheduled to be heard until January 19, 2046, what would have been her 100th birthday.
From a 13 year old on a bus to Lake Charles, to a sold out arena decades later, Parton's ties to Louisiana span nearly her whole career. But her influence was never going to end with a catalog, as extraordinary as "Jolene" and "Coat of Many Colors" are. It is in the millions of children who grew up with a free book in their hands because of her Imagination Library, in every person who watched her find the humor in hard moments and share it freely, and in the quiet, steady heart she brought to seven decades of showing up for people. Dolly was a blessing to so many people across the world, and Louisiana will forever be honored to have been even a small piece of her story. She will be deeply missed.
Dolly's family has asked that in lieu of flowers or gifts, fans make a donation to the Imagination Library in her memory.
FAQ
Where did Dolly Parton record her first single?
She recorded "Puppy Love" at Goldband Records in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in March 1959, at age 13.
Did Dolly Parton perform in Louisiana later in her career?
Yes. She filmed a 1988 television special, Dolly (Down in New Orleans), with New Orleans artists including Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, and The Neville Brothers, and she played the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on November 30, 2016, during her Pure & Simple Tour.
Did Dolly Parton leave behind any unreleased music?
Yes. In 2015 she recorded a song called "My Place in History" and sealed it inside a "Dream Box" on display at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort. It is not scheduled to be opened until January 19, 2046, what would have been her 100th birthday.
Love Stories Like This?
Subscribe to the Louisiana Country Music Newsletter for more artist spotlights, new releases, and stories from artists with Louisiana roots.
Follow your favorite Louisiana artists HERE.
This article is for informational and editorial purposes only. Details such as release dates, event information, and artist updates are subject to change. Featuring an artist does not imply any endorsement, partnership, representation, or business relationship unless explicitly stated. All trademarks, images, and music referenced remain the property of their respective owners.
Comments