The Tennessee Volunteers are taking their Dolly Parton tribute a step further for the upcoming 2026-27 college football season.
It’s still hard to accept that the world has lost its “Queen of Country Music.” She passed away last week at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer, and ever since, tributes have been pouring in from all across the world. There’s even corn mazes all across the country that will be honoring the late, great country icon.
She was one of those people that was beloved by people all over. No matter the beliefs. No matter the politics. No matter the taste in music. Dolly Parton transcended it all, and meant so much to so many – especially those living within Tennessee, where Dolly Parton was born and raised.
The University of Tennessee is making sure to show love for Parton during the upcoming college football season. How will the Vols be doing that, you ask? In a couple of different ways, actually. The first thing the football team announced was commemorative helmet stickers that they’ll wear in every game that honors the “9 to 5” singer.
An orange butterfly – with Dolly’s name front and center – will be on every athlete’s helmet:
“For Dolly. A commemorative helmet sticker will be worn to honor Dolly Parton for every game this season.”
What a classy touch.
I’m sure Dolly Parton would have been thrilled to know that she’ll be represented on the field at Neyland Stadium. But that’s not all that the Vols decided to do to honor the country star. They’ll also make their fourth-quarter anthem at Rocky Top a Dolly Parton song:
“Tennessee will make a Dolly Parton song its new fourth-quarter anthem at Neyland Stadium, athletics director Danny White announced Thursday. It’s another way the Vols will honor the East Tennessee legend.”
What a wonderful way to honor Dolly.
As to which song they’ll be going with, that hasn’t been announced by the Volunteers. They may even choose to keep it on the down low until they take the field on Saturday, September 5 to open their season against Furman University. It’s important to note that it will be replacing the Morgan Wallen song that the Vols have used for the past couple of years:
“Danny White did not indicate which Dolly Parton song it will be nor how long it will be the fourth-quarter song. Tennessee has played Morgan Wallen’s ‘The Way I Talk’ since mid-2024.”
The Tennesse Vols are really knocking it out of the park (sorry for the use of a baseball phrase in a football story) with their Dolly Parton tributes. And I can’t wait to see the crowd come together this Saturday to sing a Dolly Parton hit together. That’ll undoubtedly be a powerful moment.
And pairing that with the butterfly logos on the helmets of players? Simply put, the Tennessee Vols are really doing all they can to honor the late, great country singer, and it’s really cool to see.
Number 95 for the helmet picture? Brilliant work.
