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Tennessee Volunteers fans pay incredible tribute to Dolly Parton during season opener
By Matt Reigle
Published September 05, 2026
The death of country music, movie, theme park and, frankly, all-around icon Dolly Parton hit a lot of people hard.
That includes folks in her home state of Tennessee, a place she was virtually synonymous with.
On Saturday, the Tennessee Volunteers football team opened its 2026 season, and the entire Neyland Stadium crowd paid tribute to the late legend.
PEYTON MANNING PAYS TRIBUTE TO DOLLY PARTON: 'TENNESSEE WON'T BE THE SAME WITHOUT HER!'
FRISCO, TEXAS - MAY 11: Dolly Parton attends the 58th Academy Of Country Music Awards at The Ford Center at The Star on May 11, 2023 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage) (Getty Images)
It was announced ahead of the game that one of the tributes to Parton — an orange butterfly decal with her name on it — would be on the back of every Volunteers player's helmet.
Head coach Josh Heupel revealed that the decal will be sticking around all season long.
"All that she's meant across the world, this country, and certainly the Queen of East Tennessee," Heupel said, per ESPN. "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."
The Volunteers hosted the Furman Paladins on Saturday, and there were more tributes on the way during the game.
Perhaps the biggest came when the entire stadium — 102,000 fans strong — joined together to sing Parton's 1974 hit "I Will Always Love You" in unison.
Probably more than a few people in the stands were cutting onions during that one.
What a moment.
Fans at Neyland Stadium gave Dolly Parton an incredible tribute during the Tennessee Volunteers' season opener. (Photo by Randy J. Williams/Getty Images)
But there was more. For the last couple of seasons, the Vols have played the Morgan Wallen song "The Way I Talk" during the fourth quarter.
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This time? Dolly's "My Tennessee Mountain Home."
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It wouldn't be a shocker to see this become a new tradition, and just another example of how much Dolly Parton meant to the state of Tennessee.
https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/tennessee-volunteers-fans-pay-incredible-tribute-dolly-parton-season-opener