Since Dollywood opened for its first season in 1986, the park has been a place for Dolly and her fans to make memories and enjoy her music. Throughout the years Dolly has written songs for the museum, children's shows, new attractions, and more. As Dollywood opens this weekend for its 40th season, let's take a look back at a few of the songs Dolly has written for the park. Read about the songs below and check them out in the video above! 

Chasing Rainbows (2002)

• Written by Dolly in 2002 for the opening of the Chasing Rainbows museum at Dollywood, she performed the song at the museum opening and sang a chorus of it at the end of the museum tour DVD after she gives a personal tour of the museum.

I Believe in You (2005)

• Written by Dolly in 2005 for the Imagination Library Playhouse production of The Little Engine That Could. She included the song as the title track of her first children's album in 2017.

Sha-Kon-O-Hey! Land of Blue Smoke EP highlights (2009)

• "My Mountains, My Home" and "Sha-Kon-O-Hey!"
  • Written by Dolly to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. "My Mountains, My Home" has been performed by Dolly many times since it was written, notably she performed it during the Sha-Kon-O-Hey! show at the park in 2009 and during the Smoky Mountains Rise telethon in 2016. The "Sha-Kon-O-Hey! performance in the video above is taken from the 2010 Hallmark special, Dolly Celebrates 25 Years of Dollywood. Both songs are included on the Sha-Kon-O-Hey! Land of Blue Smoke extended play.

Celebrate the Dreamer in You (2010)

• Written by Dolly to commemorate Dollywood's 25th anniversary in 2010. Dolly performed the song on the Hallmark channel special, Dolly Celebrates 25 Years of Dollywood. Studio versions were released in 2012 and 2024.

The Sky Is Not the Limit (2012)

• Written by Dolly for the opening of the Wild Eagle rollercoaster at Dollywood in 2012. Dolly performed the song at the grand opening and the studio version can be heard over the speakers when entering the attraction.

Uncle Billy (2013)

• Written by Dolly to honor her uncle Bill Owens. A video of Dolly singing the song played in the Bill Owens section of the Chasing Rainbows museum at Dollywood from 2013 until its closing in 2023. I have remastered the audio in the video above.

Paint Your Dreams Across the Sky (2013)

• Written by Dolly in 2013 for the Great American Summer festival fireworks show titled Dolly's Nights of Many Colors.

My People cast album (2013)

• This rare cast album features the original cast of the show and Dolly singing some of her biggest hits and some previously unreleased Dolly compositions like "Mama / Being Dad", "The Dinner Bucket Song", and "Travelin' Family Band".

Wildwood Grove (2019)

• Written by Dolly for the opening of the Wildwood Grove section of the park in 2019. The song is a re-written version of her 1974 number one hit, "Love Is Like a Butterfly". Dolly performed the song live at the grand opening.

Big Bear (2023)

• Written by Dolly for the opening of the Big Bear Mountain rollercoaster in 2023. Dolly performed the song live at the grand opening.

Dolly released a new single on Friday, March 7, 2025. Titled "If You Hadn't Been There", the single is dedicated to Carl Dean, her husband of 58 years who passed away on March 3. The song was written by Dolly and was produced by Kent Wells and Gregg Perry. Perry and Dolly first worked together on her 1977 album, New Harvest...First Gathering. This track marks their first collaboration since 1983's Burlap & Satin. The song will be featured in the upcoming musical about Dolly's life. She first mentioned the song during the January 28, 2025 press conference announcing the initial preview performances for Dolly: An Original Musical. She cited the song as her personal favorite in the musical, describing it as the show's "theme song." She said, "It talks about all the people that have been in my life, but it's also a reference to God as well." Upon the single's release she said, "I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old. We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him."

The touching tribute is available now from all music platforms. Listen in the video below.

by Dolly Parton
​
​If you hadn't been there where would I be?
Without your trust, love, and belief
The ups and downs we've always shared
And I wouldn't be here if you hadn't been there

If you hadn't been you, well who would I be?
You've always seen the best in me
Your loving arms have cradled me
You held me close and I believe

I wouldn't be here if you hadn't been there
Holding my hand, showing you cared
You made me dream more than I dared
And I wouldn't be here if you hadn't been there

Oh, you are my rock, a soft place to land
My wings, my confidence, you understand
Your willingness, beyond compare
No, I wouldn't be here if you hadn't been there

I wouldn't be here if you hadn't been there
Pushing me on when I was scared
I thank God and you, oh, for your loving care
And for giving me love with more to spare

You made me climb and top the stairs
I wouldn't be here
I wouldn't be here if you hadn't been there
Oh, I wouldn't be here if you had been there

by Ben Childers

Carl Thomas Dean, Dolly's husband of 58 years, passed away on Monday, February 3, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. Carl was born on July 20, 1942, in Nashville. He and Dolly met in 1964 outside a laundromat on the day she moved from the Smokies to Nashville. They were married on May 30, 1966, in Ringgold, Georgia, in a private ceremony attended only by Dolly's mother, the preacher, and the preacher's wife. Carl led a private life away from the spotlight, running a successful asphalt paving business in Nashville. The couple renewed their vows in a private ceremony in 2016 for their 50th wedding anniversary. Carl is survived by his wife, Dolly, and his siblings, Sandra and Donnie.

Below I've collected a few of the songs Dolly wrote about her love for Carl over the years. May he rest in peace and I hope Dolly can feel the outpouring of love for her and Carl from her fans around the world. We will always love you. ​♥

Dolly wrote "Forever Love" for her and Carl's 50th wedding anniversary vow renewal in 2016 and included it on her Pure & Simple album. Dolly said in a 2016 Rolling Stone article, "That's the one I considered our wedding song because we got remarried on May 30th, on our 50th anniversary. I thought I'd have to have a little wedding song, so that was the one. I purposely tried to write a wedding song and I thought it would be a good wedding song for anybody's wedding."

Dolly originally recorded "Tomorrow Is Forever" as a duet with Porter Wagner on their 1970 album, Porter Wayne and Dolly Parton. The duet reached number nine on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Dolly cited the song as one she had written about her relationship with Carl in 2016 when she re-recorded it for the Pure & Simple album. 

Dolly originally recorded "Say Forever You'll Be Mine" as a duet with Porter Wagner on their 1975 album the same name. The duet reached number five on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Dolly cited the song as one she had written about her relationship with Carl in 2016 when she re-recorded it for the Pure & Simple album. 

Dolly first recorded "From Here to the Moon and Back" with Kris Kristofferson in 2012 for the Joyful Noise soundtrack. The following year she recorded it as a duet with Willie Nelson. It was included on Nelson's To All the Girls... album and Dolly's Blue Smoke album. In her 2020 book, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, Dolly said, "This song is very much based on my husband, Carl." It will most likely be featured in Dolly: An Original Musical. She went on to say, "I'm using it in a musical for Broadway that I'm writing. It's my life story as a musical. This is going to be sung as a duet between the 'Carl' character and the 'Dolly' character in that."

Dolly has recounted the inspiration behind "Jolene" many times. The song draws from two unrelated events. After a show with Porter one night, Dolly was signing autographs. A little girl came up and asked for an autograph and said her name was Jolene. Dolly said she thought it was a beautiful name and told the little girl if she ever hears a song titled "Jolene" you'll know it's about you. On the way back to the bus Dolly kept repeating "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene" to keep from forgetting the name. She decide she would begin the song with the same repetition. She then thought of a true story where she had caught her husband Carl flirting with a girl who worked at the bank. She combined both of these inspirations to create the song. The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and was included on Dolly's 1974 album of the same name.