Celebrate Dollywood's 40th Season with a Look Back at Songs Featured in the Park

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.