Nashville Unscripted · Dolly Parton
Butterfly helmet stickers. A new fourth-quarter song at Neyland Stadium. Peyton Manning leading her onto the stage in front of 100,000 fans. Tennessee is honoring its Queen of East Tennessee all season long.
When Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2026, the University of Tennessee didn’t wait. Within days, Athletics Director Danny White announced the Vols would honor her throughout the entire 2026 football season — helmet stickers, a new fourth-quarter song at Neyland Stadium, and a commitment to carrying her memory into every game day this fall.
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Every University of Tennessee player will wear a special helmet sticker for the entire 2026 football season in honor of Dolly Parton. The stickers feature a butterfly outline with Parton’s signature “Dolly” written across it — a nod to her personal imagery and one of her most beloved symbols.
Athletics Director Danny White made the announcement shortly after her death, with full support from the coaching staff and players. The butterfly sticker joins the tradition of Tennessee’s Vol helmet — one of the most recognizable in college football — as a permanent tribute for the 2026 season.
“All that she’s meant across the world, this country, and certainly the Queen of East Tennessee. A lady that was extremely proud of her roots. You look at her impact, just her ability to give back, make an impact to people, certainly here in East Tennessee. She means a lot to people across this country, but certainly here inside the state of Tennessee, too.”
— Josh Heupel, University of Tennessee Head Football Coach
The New Fourth-Quarter Song at Neyland Stadium
Tennessee is making a Dolly Parton song its new fourth-quarter tradition at Neyland Stadium — replacing the previous song with a Dolly track that will play after the third quarter of every Vols home game for the 2026 season and beyond.
The choice is fitting. Neyland Stadium — one of the largest stadiums in the world with over 100,000 fans — is where Dolly had one of her most memorable recent public appearances. In November 2023, she was escorted onto a stage in the south end zone by Peyton Manning before the first quarter of Tennessee’s game against Georgia. She led the entire stadium in singing Rocky Top, joined by the UT choir. It was a moment that stopped the game and moved everyone in the building.
Now her music will play there every game day, in the stadium where she showed East Tennessee what she meant to them — and they showed her what she meant to them.
Dolly Parton and the University of Tennessee
Dolly Parton’s connection to the University of Tennessee runs deep. She was born in Sevier County, Tennessee — just outside Knoxville — and grew up in the shadow of the Smoky Mountains that UT’s campus looks toward. Her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge sits 35 miles from Neyland Stadium.
In 2022, UT announced that Dolly Parton had donated $1 million to the university’s research into mRNA vaccines — a contribution she made without fanfare and that she was characteristically humble about when it became public. The university honored her with the Torchbearer Award, UT’s highest honor, in recognition of her decades of philanthropy and her contributions to Tennessee.
She was, in every sense, Tennessee’s daughter. And Tennessee is making sure the 2026 football season reflects that.
The Rocky Top Moment — November 2023
Dolly Parton led Neyland Stadium in singing Rocky Top after the first quarter of Tennessee’s game against Georgia on November 18, 2023. Peyton Manning escorted her onto a stage in the south end zone. The UT choir joined her. Over 100,000 fans sang along. It was one of the most emotional and joyful moments Neyland Stadium has ever seen — and one of Dolly’s last major public performances in Tennessee before her death in August 2026.
All the Ways Tennessee Is Honoring Dolly Parton
- UT helmet stickers — butterfly “Dolly” stickers on every Vol helmet for the entire 2026 football season
- Neyland Stadium fourth-quarter song — a Dolly Parton song replaces the previous third-quarter tradition at every home game
- Nashville Airport rename — Governor Bill Lee announced intent to rename Nashville International Airport as Dolly Parton International Airport. See our airport rename guide.
- Tennessee “9 to 5 Day” — State Senator Jessie Seal introduced legislation designating September 25 as “9 to 5 Day” in Tennessee
- DollyFest 2027 — the official tribute festival coming to Nashville in 2027. See our DollyFest Nashville 2027 guide.
- Dollywood continuing — her family confirmed Dollywood will continue operating in her memory with family involvement in its direction
→ Dolly Parton Nashville: Her Legacy in Music City
→ DollyFest Nashville 2027: Everything We Know
→ Dolly Parton International Airport: What Travelers Need to Know
→ Dollywood from Nashville: Day Trip Guide
This post covers the University of Tennessee’s tribute announcements following Dolly Parton’s death on August 25, 2026. Details about the specific fourth-quarter song selection will be updated when officially confirmed by UT Athletics.