Dolly Parton, Retired From Touring, Announces a ‘Multimedia Symphonic Storytelling Experience’ That Will Hit the Road in 2025

Chris Willman
·2 min read
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Dolly Parton isn’t showing any signs of backing down from her proclamation that she thinks her touring days are over. But fans will yet have an opportunity to go see her music performed in concert, with orchestral renditions and Parton participating via appearances on a big screen, as part of a “multimedia symphonic story-telling experience” that will hit the road in 2025.

“Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony” was announced Tuesday by Parton and her co-producers on the project, Schirmer Theatrical and Sony Music Publishing. The tour’s first date will take place with the Nashville Symphony on March 20, 2025, with dates in other cities with local orchestras to follow.

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The announcement for the unusual project says that “Threads” will feature “Dolly’s songs and the stories behind them in an innovative multimedia symphonic experience featuring Dolly on screen, leading audiences in a visual-musical journey of her songs, her life and her stories.” The program will have the orchestras “accompanied by guest vocalists and musicians” and feature “new and innovative orchestrations” of her signature songs, arranged by David Hamilton.

“I’m just so excited to share my songs and the stories behind them in this beautiful new way,” Parton said in a statement. “‘Threads: My Songs in Symphony’ is like a journey through the heartstrings of my life. I hope we can take it far and wide to symphony orchestras everywhere.”

“Bringing the genius, music, life and legacy of Dolly Parton to symphonic audiences is an honor for us,” said Schirmer Theatrical president Robert Thompson. “Audiences will hear for the first time Dolly’s songs performed by orchestras worldwide in this innovative symphonic story-telling experience.”

Parton said in a 2022 Pollstar cover story that she was done with going out on the road, which would leave her 2016 Pure & Simple Tour as her final outing of any real length. “”I do not think I will ever tour again, but I do know I’ll do special shows here and there, now and then,” she said at the time. “Maybe do a long weekend of shows, or just a few shows at a festival. But I have no intention of going on a full-blown tour anymore. I’ve done that my whole life, and it takes so much time and energy.”

Schirmer Theatrical, part of the Wise Music Group, has specialized in film-with-live-orchestra concerts, but also has moved into the arena of orchestral concerts centered around pop catalogs. In 2024, the company has dates booked with local symphonies around the licensed and sanctioned programs “Dancing in the Street: The Music of Motown” and “Twist & Shout: The Music of the Beatles,” among others.

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