At Dollywood, Dolly Parton Celebrates Businesses Reopening in Tennessee, Honors Parents with Floral Statue Parton says her staff is 'like family.'

By Euni Han

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

NBC | Getty Images

At Dollywood, Dolly Parton Celebrates Businesses Reopening in Tennessee, Honors Parents with Floral Statue

Parton says her staff is "like family.'

Dolly Parton joined Good Morning America host Robin Robert at Dollywood, her 150-acre theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, according to Fox News. At the park's annual flower and food festival, Parton honored her parents, paying special tribute to her mom with a floral statue, "The Coat of Many Colors." Parton says when she first saw the statue on Tuesday she became very emotional.

"I had seen brochures of it and I knew what it was supposed to be but just seeing that whole thing knowing my life as it's turned out, thinking about my mom and having that thing there that represents who I am as a person, who my parents were and the kind of mother that I was lucky enough to have -- and that little coat that's carried me so far."

Parton also performed a song called "The Coat of Many Colors" on stage while playing a rainbow-colored guitar.

The 75-year-old country singer then reflected on the park's recovery from the pandemic and praised the staff.

"Last year, of course, like everybody else, we were open on a limited basis but everybody was so great to practice the safety rules...the people here are like family so any time you have a process of any kind you just kind of pull together and get it done."

Dollywood's annual flower and food festival is in its 36th season.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Leadership

The Most Dangerous Word in Entrepreneurship is "Try"

If you're struggling to get things done or meet your goals, you need to ask yourself: Are you trying, or doing?

Franchise

Franchisors Have a Secret Weapon Against Rising Costs. Here's How It Works.

Franchise strategist Nick Powills explains how franchisors buffer owners with scale purchasing, diversified sourcing and cost-cutting playbooks.

Devices

Secure Your Essentials with a 4-Pack of Trackable SmartCards for $65

From luggage to badges, track it all with Apple Find My integration.

Buying / Investing in Business

From a $120M Acquisition to a $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Buying / Investing in Business

Big Investors Are Betting on This 'Unlisted' Stock

You can join them as an early-stage investor as this company disrupts a $1.3T market.