State Rep. Fred Atchley to Sponsor "9 to 5 Day" Legislation in the House Honoring Dolly Parton

State Representative Fred Atchley (R-Sevierville) announced today that he will sponsor legislation in the House of Representatives designating September 25 as "9 to 5 Day" in Tennessee, honoring the life and legacy of country music legend and Sevier County native Dolly Parton. The bill will be carried in the Senate by State Senator Jessie Seal (R-New Tazewell), and both members will file their respective versions for consideration by the 115th General Assembly.

"Dolly Parton was the finest ambassador Tennessee has ever had, and she never once forgot that she came from Sevier County," said Atchley. "I am proud to sponsor this legislation so that every September, our state has a day set aside to remember her music, her generosity, and the kind of person she was to the people who knew her best."

The proposed observance takes its name from Parton's 1980 hit "9 to 5," the title track of the film in which she starred, and the September 25 date reflects the numerals in the song's title. Unlike a one-time proclamation, the legislation would place the observance in state law, establishing it as a recurring annual day of remembrance.

Parton died August 25 at her home in Nashville at the age of 80. Born in Sevier County in 1946 and raised in the Smoky Mountains, she spent six decades as one of the most recognized and beloved figures in American music and one of its most active philanthropists. Her Imagination Library has delivered free books to children across Tennessee and around the world, and her investment in her home region through Dollywood has supported thousands of East Tennessee families while drawing visitors from every state and dozens of countries.

"I look forward to working with Senator Seal to see this legislation passed," Atchley added. "Sevier County will always be proud to call Dolly our own."

In lieu of flowers, the Parton family has asked that memorial gifts be directed to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.