{"id":226297,"date":"2026-08-25T21:34:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T21:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/?p=226297"},"modified":"2026-08-25T21:34:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T21:34:20","slug":"dolly-parton-new-jersey-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/dolly-parton-new-jersey-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Dolly Parton: A Look Back at the Country Icon\u2019s New Jersey Connections"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"custom_featured_image\" style=\"display:none;\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-300x200.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"dolly-parton\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton.png 1000w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-585x390.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-263x175.png 263w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/div><div id=\"custom_category\" style=\"display:none;\">news<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Country music legend Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton\u2019s death was announced on Tuesday, August 25th, 2026. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, shared the news in a video, according to multiple reports. The singer had spoken publicly in recent months about health issues, including challenges she said became more apparent after the March 2025 death of her longtime husband, Carl Dean.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Tennessee native leaves behind a career that spanned nearly six decades and reached far beyond country music. Ms. Parton wrote an estimated 3,000 songs, recorded hundreds of them, sold more than 100 million records, won 11 Grammy Awards, and was inducted into the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/rockhall.com\/inductees\/dolly-parton\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">i<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">n 2022. Her best-known songs include <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jolene,<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coat of Many Colors<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9 to 5,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I Will Always Love You<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the latter of which became a worldwide hit again in 1992 when Essex County native Whitney Houston recorded it for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bodyguard<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She was also an actress, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Ms. Parton starred in movies including <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9 to 5<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Steel Magnolias<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, built <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dollywood.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dollywood<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">into one of Tennessee\u2019s best-known attractions, and founded <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/imaginationlibrary.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dolly Parton\u2019s Imagination Librar<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">y, which has distributed hundreds of millions of books to children.&nbsp; <strong>Read on for more about Dolly Parton&#8217;s legacy and her New Jersey performances.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-226298\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton.png\" alt=\"dolly-parton\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton.png 1000w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-585x390.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/08\/dolly-parton-263x175.png 263w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Dolly Parton\u2019s New Jersey Appearances<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over the course of her career, Ms. Parton also made several stops in the Garden State. From Waterloo Village to Atlantic City to the PNC Bank Arts Center, here\u2019s a look back at Dolly Parton\u2019s documented New Jersey appearances.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>August 1st, 1975: Waterloo Village in Stanhope<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of Ms. Parton\u2019s earliest documented New Jersey performances took place on August 1st, 1975, at Waterloo Village in Stanhope. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.concertarchives.org\/concerts\/dolly-parton--7410688\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Concert archives<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> list Ms. Parton as performing at the historic Sussex County venue that Friday. Waterloo Village, located along the Morris Canal, became known for hosting concerts and music festivals during the second half of the 20th century.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The performance came during a pivotal period in Parton\u2019s career. She had recently ended her longtime professional partnership with Porter Wagoner and was establishing herself fully as a solo artist. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jolene<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had become a hit in 1973, followed by <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I Will Always Love You<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 1974.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>August 12th, 1978: Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By the late 1970s, Dolly was well on her way to becoming a crossover superstar. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.concertarchives.org\/concerts\/dolly-parton--7410606\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">August 12th, 1978<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, she performed at the Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel, the venue now known as the PNC Bank Arts Center. Concert records place the show between an August 11th performance in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and an August 13th show at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was an especially big era for Parton. Her 1977 album <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here You Come Again<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> became her first million-selling album and helped introduce her to a much broader pop audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>August 13th, 1979: A Return to Holmdel<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton returned to the Garden State Arts Center almost exactly one year later, on August 13th, 1979. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A surviving setlist from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1979\/06\/03\/archives\/new-jersey-weekly-fun-without-fuel-for-summer-months-summer-music.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Holmdel concert <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">includes <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here You Come Again<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Heartbreaker, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jolene<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My Tennessee Mountain Home<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and covers of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Great Balls of Fire<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and The Beatles\u2019 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Help!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By then, Ms. Parton\u2019s transition from country star to mainstream celebrity was well underway. The following year, she would make her feature-film debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9 to 5<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>May 1981: An Extended Stay in Atlantic City<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Atlantic City became another recurring New Jersey stop for Ms. Parton. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In May 1981, she performed an<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/shorelocalnews.com\/when-the-divas-came-to-atlantic-city-part-two\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> extended engagement <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at Resorts International, now Resorts Casino Hotel. A 2026 retrospective from <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shore Local<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> describes Ms. Parton as one of the first major superstars booked at an Atlantic City casino and reports that she received a full week-long booking, something that was unusual for the city.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Historical concert databases also document multiple consecutive performances at Resorts during May 1981, though surviving sources differ on the precise beginning and ending dates of the engagement. Setlist and concert archives document performances during the May 10th through May 17th period.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The timing was fitting as she was enjoying one of the biggest mainstream moments of her career after the release of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9 to 5<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in December 1980. Its title song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>August 2nd, 1992: Garden State Arts Center<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton returned to the Garden State Arts Center on August 2nd, 1992. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Concert records document <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.setlist.fm\/setlist\/dolly-parton\/1992\/garden-state-arts-center-holmdel-nj-23fd6c9b.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the 1992 performance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the venue, marking at least her third known appearance at the Holmdel amphitheater before it was renamed the PNC Bank Arts Center.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That year would soon become significant for one of Parton\u2019s most famous songs. Newark, NJ native Whitney Houston\u2019s version of Ms. Parton\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I Will Always Love You<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was released in 1992 as part of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bodyguard<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> soundtrack and became a massive worldwide hit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton later spoke movingly about Houston and her connection to the song following Houston\u2019s death in 2012.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>September 10th + 11th, 1993: Caesars Atlantic City<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton performed two nights at the Circus Maximus Theater at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/shorelocalnews.com\/when-the-divas-came-to-atlantic-city-part-two\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caesars Atlantic City <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on September 10th and September 11th, 1993. Historical concert records document both shows, and local Atlantic City retrospectives also note the two-night Caesars engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong><strong>November 11th, 2004: East Rutherford<\/strong><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>On November 11th, 2004, Ms. Parton brought her <i>Hello, I\u2019m Dolly<\/i> tour to The Theater at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/hello-dolly-parton-plans-career-spanning-tour-66579\/\">Continental Airlines Arena<\/a> in East Rutherford. The venue was part of the Meadowlands Sports Complex and was created by configuring the larger arena into a more intimate theater setting.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>November 12th, 2004: Caesars Atlantic City<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One night after East Rutherford, Ms. Parton headed down the Garden State Parkway for another Atlantic City performance. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On November 12th, 2004, she returned to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pressofatlanticcity.com\/life-entertainment\/local\/music\/collection_75dae2f8-1749-443e-a3cd-7956525da7d0.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caesars Atlantic City <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and performed at the Circus Maximus showroom as part of the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hello, I\u2019m Dolly<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tour. Getty Images photographs from that night document Ms. Parton performing onstage with her guitar.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>August 16th, 2005: House of Blues Atlantic City<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/house-of-blues-dolly-parton-team-for-vintage-1408725\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> launched her tour<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from Atlantic City\u2019s House of Blues. The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vintage Tour<\/span><\/i> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">officially began on August 16th at the House of Blues in Atlantic City. The tour supported <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those Were the Days<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Parton\u2019s album featuring her interpretations of songs associated with artists including Bob Dylan and others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Atlantic City opening-night set included songs such as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those Were the Days, 9 to 5, Jolene, My Tennessee Mountain Home, and Coat of Many Colors<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tour would ultimately travel to dozens of cities across the United States and Canada, meaning its first notes were played right here in New Jersey.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>May 3rd, 2008: Borgata Event Center<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton returned to Atlantic City on May 3rd, 2008, this time performing at the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/philly\/entertainment\/20080505_Parton_s_show_of_good_fun__music.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Borgata Event Center<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as part of her <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Backwoods Barbie Tour<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The setlist was a tour through several decades of her career. She performed <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, Here You Come Again, 9 to 5, I Will Always Love You, Why\u2019d You Come in Here Lookin\u2019 Like That<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and songs from the then-new <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Backwoods Barbie<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> album. She closed the show with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus and Gravit<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">y.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>June 26th, 2016: PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decades after her first shows at the Garden State Arts Center, Dolly returned to the same Holmdel stage under its newer name.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton performed at the PNC Bank Arts Center on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=z2QIPWPfBCg\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">June 26th, 2016<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, during her <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pure &amp; Simple Tour<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The venue itself includes the concert in its history of notable performances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The setlist included <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, My Tennessee Mountain Home, 9 to 5, Here You Come Again, I Will Always Love You<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and music from her <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pure &amp; Simple<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> album.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It appears to have been Ms. Parton\u2019s final documented New Jersey concert.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Dolly Parton\u2019s Broadway Show Is Still Scheduled for This Winter<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton\u2019s death comes just months before another major chapter of her story was scheduled to begin nearby.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dollyparton.com\/life-and-career\/dolly-a-true-original-musical-comes-to-broadway-this-winter\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DOLLY: A True Original Musical<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the new Broadway musical based on Parton\u2019s life, is scheduled <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/playbill.com\/production\/dolly-a-true-original-musical-broadway-st-james-theatre-2027\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to begin previews<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the St. James Theatre in New York City on December 7th, 2026. Opening night had deliberately been scheduled for January 19th, 2027, which would have been Ms. Parton\u2019s 81st birthday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The show was initially announced under the title <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hello, I\u2019m Dolly<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before becoming <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DOLLY: A True Original Musical<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It features a book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, and both Ms. Parton\u2019s existing hits and new music she wrote specifically for the production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the songs included are <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I Will Always Love You, Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9 to 5<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Ms. Parton was not scheduled to portray herself in the production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The musical had already received a sold-out developmental<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.broadwayworld.com\/article\/Photos-First-Look-at-DOLLY-A-TRUE-ORIGINAL-MUSICAL-20250718\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> run in Nashville <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in 2025 before its planned Broadway transfer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In announcing the Broadway production in July 2026, Ms. Parton described her life itself as a musical and a \u201cgrand ole opera,\u201d saying she could not wait to bring it to Broadway.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of August 25th, no announcement has been made indicating that the Broadway production will not move forward following Parton\u2019s death.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Remembering Dolly Parton<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Born January 19th, 1946, in rural Tennessee, Ms. Parton grew up as one of 12 children and transformed herself into one of the most recognizable entertainers in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her songwriting alone created a remarkable legacy. Parton wrote thousands of songs throughout her career, including <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I Will Always Love You<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. She crossed between country, pop, film, television, theater, and business while maintaining an unmistakable identity throughout it all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her impact was equally significant away from the stage. Ms. Parton founded the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/imaginationlibrary.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Imagination Library <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in 1995, inspired by her father\u2019s inability to read and write. The program grew from serving children in her home county to distributing millions of free books to children around the world. She also donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for COVID-19 research that helped support work connected to the Moderna vaccine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Parton had been married to Carl Dean since 1966. Dean largely stayed outside the spotlight throughout his wife\u2019s career and died in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c241vp9yv1mo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">March 2025 <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at age 82, just short of the couple\u2019s 59th wedding anniversary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the months before her own death, Ms. Parton continued working on music, philanthropy, business projects, and the Broadway musical based on her life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Follow @thenewjerseygirl on&nbsp;<a class=\"broken_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thelocalgirlhq\/?hl=en\"><span class=\"s1\">Instagram<\/span><\/a>&nbsp;+&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@thelocalgirlhq?lang=en\"><span class=\"s1\">TikTok<\/span><\/a>&nbsp;for the latest updates on Hoboken, Montclair, Bergen County, and more,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.myflodesk.com\/xdt5qdr3st\"><span class=\"s1\">sign up for our weekly newsletter here<\/span><\/a>&nbsp;that shares everything you missed each week, and check out our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/calendar\/\"><span class=\"s1\">events calendar<\/span><\/a>, which has over 100+ events weekly to peruse.<\/p>\n<div class=\"categories\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"button\" href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stories<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>newsCountry music legend Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80. Ms. Parton\u2019s death was announced on Tuesday, August 25th, 2026.&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":330,"featured_media":226298,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[4,25,1,40],"tags":[42,43,11,7,12],"class_list":["post-226297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","category-live-music","category-news","category-the-local-girl","tag-entertainment","tag-new-jersey","tag-news","tag-people","tag-tlg"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Remembering Dolly Parton: A Look Back at the Country Icon\u2019s New Jersey Connections - The New Jersey Girl<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Country music queen Dolly Parton has passed away at the age of 80. Throughout the course of her career, she performed several times in the Garden State\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/newjersey\/dolly-parton-new-jersey-legacy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Remembering Dolly Parton: A Look Back at the Country Icon\u2019s New Jersey Connections\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Country music queen Dolly Parton has passed away at the age of 80. 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