SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. ( Story courtesy of WVLT) – As the world mourns the passing of country music legend Dolly Parton, tributes to the Queen of East Tennessee are drawing renewed attention—including one unique, masterpiece tucked away in her hometown of Sevierville.
While murals and paintings of Parton span the globe, downtown Sevierville hosts a special tribute that captures the singer long before she found worldwide fame.
A ‘Secretive’ Tribute to a Hometown Legend
Located in the heart of downtown, the mural features a young Dolly Parton. It was designed to be subtle, according to Ben Harrison, one of the artists who helped bring the artwork to life.
“They really wanted this kind of like, secretive mural to be like, ‘oh, if you know, you know that that’s Dolly Parton,’” Harrison said.
The mural almost didn’t feature the music icon at all. Harrison explained that his initial designs focused on other historical elements of downtown.
“It was funny, me and the other guy that designed for it, we designed everything, not Dolly Parton,” Harrison recalled. “And so, then, the designs we entered, the guys that were choosing, you know, whoever the artist would be, they were like, ‘We really like your guys’ designs and styles, but could you give us one with Dolly Parton?’”
Nostalgia and Red’s Cafe
The resulting artwork depicts Parton as a young child outside of Red’s Cafe, a local staple that opened in 1946—the very same year Parton was born. Harrison wanted the piece to evoke the era of her childhood.
“It was kind of like that nostalgic feeling look that, you know, just that kind of like old school retro art style that kind of appealed to that era and everything that went in along with it,” Harrison said.
The historic cafe holds a deeply personal connection for Parton. In past interviews, she recalled visiting the original Red’s Cafe to get her very first hamburger. However, she wasn’t able to enjoy it at the time due to a painful toothache.
“It was cool reading about how Red’s Cafe, how important it was to her, even at a young age, and how she’d like feed stray dogs with some of the food from there,” Harrison said.
A Legacy That Lives On
Parton’s love for the local diner was so strong that she later recreated the experience for fans, opening “Red’s Drive-In” at her Dollywood theme park—a detailed homage designed to mirror the 1940s Sevierville original.
As fans around the globe reflect on her passing, Harrison believes the mural represents the true essence of who she was beyond the stage lights.
While the world remembers her music, her hometown of Sevierville will forever carry the legacy of her warmth, her childhood and the quiet tributes that keep her memory alive.
