Tennessee lawmakers pitch 9-25 as '9 to 5 Day' for Dolly Parton

Days after Dolly Parton’s death, the state of Tennessee is looking for more ways to honor "one of the most legendary Tennesseans of all time."

State Sen. Jessie Seal of New Tazewell said he’s proposing a bill next session to designate Sept. 25 (9/25) as "9 to 5 Day" in honor of Parton. Parton, a country music icon and beloved philanthropist, died Tuesday at 80 years old following a brief battle with cancer. 

9 to 5 Day for Dolly Parton

What they're saying:

"Dolly will go down as one of the most legendary Tennesseans of all time," said Seal. "Not only will her music stand the test of time, but so will her legacy of faith and kindness.  She embodied the true Volunteer State spirit like no other. While every day is a fitting day to honor Dolly, ‘9 to 5 Day’ will give Tennesseans an opportunity each year to set aside a little extra time to listen to one of her most iconic songs and reflect on the once-in-a-century legend."

What's next:

The legislation will be considered in the 2027 legislative session, which begins January 12.

RELATED: Dolly Parton fans urging US Postal Service to honor her with a stamp

Earlier this year, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee designated January 19, 2026 Dolly Parton Day to celebrate her 80th birthday.

Nashville airport to be renamed for Dolly 

Local perspective:

Tennessee will also honor Parton by renaming Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International Airport. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport announced the news Friday.

RELATED: Nashville International Airport to be renamed after Dolly Parton

"At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness," Lee said in a statement.

RELATED: Petition to rename Nashville airport after Dolly Parton gains traction

Dolly Parton’s legacy

The backstory:

Born in poverty in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Parton became an icon whose popularity crossed generational, geographic and political boundaries. In addition to writing and recording hit songs such as "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You," she starred in Hollywood films including "9 to 5" and "Steel Magnolias."

RELATED: Dolly Parton saved one more song for fans: Here's when it'll be released

It’s hard to name a more adored artist than Parton. In 2015, when Parton returned to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry announcer Bill Cody introduced her as "the most beloved artist of all time."

She was known as much for her charity work as she was for her music and business ventures. 

In 1988, she launched the Dollywood Foundation, originally designed to combat high school dropout rates. Its early ‘90s Buddy Program paired junior high students in Sevier County and gave $500 to each if they both finished high school. In 2016, when wildfires ravaged her native Great Smoky Mountains, the foundation announced it would give $1,000 each month for six months to families who lost their homes. The following year, it was revealed the foundation’s My People Fund helped 900 families with roughly $9 million in the first six months after the fires.

RELATED: Dolly Parton’s celebrity cameo on FOX’s ‘The Simpsons’ remembered by fans

In 1991, she launched a sanctuary for bald eagles that couldn’t survive in the wild; in 2000, she started a college scholarship giving $15,000 to five high school seniors in Sevier County. In 2020, she donated $1 million to COVID-19 research at Vanderbilt University, which helped fund Moderna’s vaccine.

Best known is her Imagination Library, founded in 1995. Parton’s father was illiterate; it inspired her to launch an organization providing books to those without resources. By 2025, she had given away over 200 million books to children in need.

"I hope I’ll be remembered as somebody that tried to do some good in the world," she told The Associated Press in 2024. "And left, you know, a few good things behind."

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