Long before her reported death at 80, Dolly Parton had already thought about the music she would want at her funeral. During a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the country legend revealed that one particular gospel hymn held a special place in her heart. While fans might expect one of her own famous songs to be chosen, Parton pointed instead to “If We Never Meet Again.”

Parton explained that the old country-gospel song had a deeply personal connection to her family. It had been performed at the funeral of her father, Robert Parton Sr., in 2000, and she remembered it as one of his favorites. She said she would like the same song to be sung at her own funeral, giving the hymn an emotional meaning that went far beyond its lyrics.

The song’s message of meeting loved ones again “on that beautiful shore” reflected themes that appeared throughout Parton’s life and music: faith, family, love, hope, and resilience. She also acknowledged that people would probably play “I Will Always Love You” when she died, recalling how emotional she felt when Whitney Houston’s version was played during Houston’s funeral. But Parton’s personal choice was the hymn connected to her father.

Parton’s legacy, however, was about much more than music. She rose from a modest childhood in rural Tennessee to become an international star, yet she consistently used her success to help others. Through the Dollywood Foundation and her Imagination Library, she supported education and childhood literacy, while other charitable efforts helped families affected by wildfires, floods, medical challenges, and other hardships.

That makes her longtime funeral wish especially poignant. After decades of writing and performing songs about life, love, faith, and family, Parton had already chosen the music she hoped would accompany her final farewell. “If We Never Meet Again” was not simply a song she admired—it was a piece of family history, carrying the memory of her father and the hope of being reunited with loved ones someday.