08/26/2026
The City of Gatlinburg joins in mourning the passing of legendary country music and philanthropic icon Dolly Parton.
Dolly was adored by millions across the globe, but here in Sevier County and East Tennessee, she was something even more meaningful: she was one of our own.
Hailing from the mountains of Sevier County, where she was born and raised, Dolly carried the spirit of the Sevier County everywhere she went.
Dolly’s impact on Sevier County cannot be measured by economic investment alone. Her legacy is found in the opportunities she created for “My people” - in the families she helped rebuild their lives after the 2016 Chimney Tops 2 Wildfires; in the children who discovered a love of reading through the Imagination Library; in the generations of children who will have access to world-class health care through her investment in Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital.
Gatlinburg was proud to call Dolly a neighbor and fellow Sevier Countian. Our community is better because of her life, her generosity, and her unwavering love for “My people.”
On behalf of the City of Gatlinburg, we extend our deepest condolences to Dolly’s family, friends, colleagues, and the countless people whose lives she touched.
The world knew Dolly Parton as an icon. Gatlinburg was fortunate enough to know her as a neighbor. The impact of her life reached the world, but her heart never left the mountains of Sevier County.
