An East Tennessee lawmaker is taking steps to memorialize Dolly Parton by designating Sept. 25 as "9 to 5 Day" in honor of the country music star's performance in the film.
Parton died peacefully Aug. 25 at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville after a brief battle with cancer. The East Tennessee native was 80 years old.
The legislation was filed by state Sen. Jessie Seal, R-New Tazwell. It will be considered when lawmakers convene for the 2027 session, which begins in January.
“Dolly will go down as one of the most legendary Tennesseans of all time," Seal said in a statement. “Not only will her music stand the test of time, but so will her legacy of faith and kindness. She embodied the true Volunteer State spirit like no other. While every
day is a fitting day to honor Dolly, ‘9 to 5 Day’ will give Tennesseans an opportunity each year to set aside a little extra time to listen to one of her most iconic songs and reflect on the once-in-a-century legend.”
Order our new memorial book "Dolly: A Life of Many Colors"
Dolly Parton's cause of death: Singer battled cancer in final days
Parton's representatives confirmed to the USA TODAY Network she was battling cancer before her death.
The singer's representatives described her battle with cancer as brief. They did not disclose what kind of cancer she had.
Parton was open about her struggle with health complications in recent months, though she kept her cancer diagnosis quiet.
Tyler Whetstone is an investigative reporter focused on accountability journalism. Email: tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com; X: @tyler_whetstone; Signal: twhetstone141924.39
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee may designate Sept. 25 as '9 to 5 Day' to honor Dolly Parton
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