Tennessee Appears to Drop Dolly Parton Anthem From Neyland Stadium Fourth-Quarter Rotation

Key Game Day Updates

• Previous Anthem: Morgan Wallen's "The Way I Talk"
• Dolly Parton Tribute Track: "My Tennessee Mountain Home" (1973)
• Recent 4th Quarter Sound: Pride of the Southland marching band playing "Rocky Top"

At the start of the college football season, the University of Tennessee introduced a new fourth-quarter tradition at Neyland Stadium to honor the late Dolly Parton, who passed away on August 25th at age 80 following a battle with cancer. The school selected "My Tennessee Mountain Home"—the title track from Parton's 1973 album—to replace Morgan Wallen's "The Way I Talk" during game breaks in Rocky Top.

However, the program did not play the track during the fourth quarter of the Volunteers' recent home loss to Texas at Neyland Stadium. Instead, the Pride of the Southland marching band performed "Rocky Top" during that interval, leaving the status of the new anthem in question.

Season-Long Tributes to Dolly Parton

The University of Tennessee implemented several gestures to honor the East Tennessee icon throughout the football season:

Helmet Stickers: Players are wearing a commemorative sticker featuring an orange butterfly with Parton's name front and center for every game this season.

In-Stadium Karaoke: The venue featured a "Dolly Karaoke Cam" during the home opener, where 102,000 attendees sang "I Will Always Love You."

Hype Video: The school released a preseason video featuring "My Tennessee Mountain Home" alongside imagery of East Tennessee scenery and stadium prep.

UT Athletics declined to comment regarding the omission of Parton's song during the Texas game, and officials have not announced whether another track will be chosen or if the program will return to previous stadium selections.

Next Scheduled Home Appearance

The Tennessee Volunteers return to Neyland Stadium on Saturday, October 3rd, when they host Auburn. The game is expected to offer further indication regarding the team's fourth-quarter music plans moving forward.