RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Dolly Parton's estate has announced a festival honouring the life and legacy of the late singer, set for London and Nashville.
The "star-studded" two-day DollyFest will happen across two consecutive weekends in both cities in 2027, her estate said in a Monday press release, adding that the specific dates will be announced later.
Parton herself dreamed up an earlier version of the event, where she would host and perform alongside other artists, but the original January 2026 event was called off before it was announced publicly, due to Parton's health struggles, her estate said.
"DOLLYFEST will be the party of a lifetime she wanted to share with the world," her estate said.
DollyFest will take the place of a traditional public memorial for the artist, who died at the age of 80 on 25 August after a brief battle with cancer.
She was laid to rest at a private family funeral in Nashville on Friday, and placed next to her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in the Tennessee city, her great-niece said.
DollyFest organiser Danny Nozell, the founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, said the estate is not discouraging people from celebrating Dolly in whatever ways they choose, but Parton did not want a traditional memorial.
"It feels more appropriate for us to take a beat, let all the tributes that immediately make sense occur naturally, and then, see through this festival-style concept that was truly dreamed up by Dolly," Nozell said.
"This is something that is authentic to her, something that feels right to me, and something that artists and fans around the world can participate in, while also giving everyone time to grieve, and giving everyone time to plan."
Originally from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, Parton was a country music icon , philanthropist and businesswoman whose most famous songs included Coat of Many Colors, Jolene and I Will Always Love You.
In a seven-decade career, Parton won 10 Grammy awards, sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and wrote thousands of songs.
Parton took her writing seriously, and considered herself a songwriter over everything else. "It's my way of expressing myself," she said. "It's my therapy."
Since her death, emotional tributes from celebrities, politicians, and countless fans have flooded social media.
"A lot of people always say, WWDD (What Would Dolly Do?), and, well, at this moment, DOLLYFEST is WDWD (What Dolly Would Do!)," Nozell said.
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