More than a decade before her death, Dolly Parton had already chosen the song she wanted to hear at her funeral. In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Parton said she expected people might play her famous “I Will Always Love You,” but she had another song in mind: the country-gospel hymn “If We Never Meet Again.”

The choice was deeply personal. Written by gospel songwriter Albert E. Brumley, the song is about saying goodbye to loved ones in this life while hoping to meet again “on that beautiful shore.” Parton explained that the song had been her father Robert Parton Sr.’s favorite, and that her family had sung it at his funeral in 2000. She said she wanted the same song at her own farewell.

Parton died on August 25, 2026, at age 80, following what her representatives described as a brief battle with cancer. Her family said she requested a small, private funeral for immediate family, while asking fans around the world to remember her through tributes and support for causes she cared about.

There is something especially poignant about her choice. Rather than selecting one of her biggest hits, Parton chose a song connected to her father and a deeply personal family memory. “I Will Always Love You” may forever be associated with her legacy, but “If We Never Meet Again” was the song she personally wanted for goodbye.