Tennessee to wear Dolly Parton tribute on helmets during 2026 college football season

Beloved singer died last week at the age of 80

Parton was born 30 miles from college campus

The Tennessee Volunteers will be honoring Dolly Parton with a helmet sticker this season, the college football team’s head coach, Josh Heupel, announced on Monday.

Parton, a Tennessee native, died last week at the age of 80 from cancer.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t also talk about the passing of Dolly Parton,” Heupel said Monday. “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.”

The singer grew up in Sevierville, roughly 30 miles east of Knoxville, where the University of Tennessee is located.

“You look at [Parton’s] impact, you know, 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,” Heupel said. “We’ll be wearing a sticker patch on the back of our helmet to recognize her accomplishments and everything that she’s meant.”

Parton often spoke about her upbringing as one of 12 children in what she described as a “dirt poor” family. Inspired by her youth, Parton led several initiatives to give back to her home town, including her nonprofit Imagination Library, which provides children with access to free books.

The sticker, in the Volunteers’ signature orange, features a butterfly similar to the one in the logo of Dollywood, Parton’s theme park. The logo also has “Dolly” written at its center.

Parton had a close relationship with the university. She twice played on Tennessee’s campus during world tours. In 2023, before a football game, she was walked to the stage at Neyland Stadium by former NFL and Tennessee star Peyton Manning. She then led the crowd in a rendition of Rocky Top, a staple at Volunteers games.

Tennessee host Furman in their season-opener on Saturday.