As the world mourns Dolly Parton, she leaves behind one of the most prolific catalogs in country music, raising questions about who will now oversee her trailblazing body of work.
Who will likely own Dolly Parton's music catalog?
It's possible that Parton's nieces and nephews will be named as beneficiaries in her estate, including her music catalog, according to Sean Weissbart, an estate attorney, partner at Blank Rome and New York University law professor.
Weissbart referenced a report by the U.S. Sun, which on Aug. 27 reported that Dean's will and testament directed that all his belongings be distributed among his nieces and nephews in the event Parton died before him. The outlet reported that his will, which was last updated in 2013, had named five of his own nieces and nephews and 14 on Parton's side.
He said other likely beneficiaries include The Dollywood Foundation and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which he expects to live on for a long time like Parton intended.
"She has the ability in her estate planning to have given them significant sums of money to help achieve that goal, and I expect that's really going to be part of that legacy," he added.
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"Dolly Parton Leaves Behind a Legendary Music Catalog. Who Will Own It?" by Anthony Robledo published in USA Today on August 28 ,2026.