Dolly Parton Announces New Career-Spanning Book Star of the Show: A Celebration of My Journey
Country music legend Dolly Parton is set to release a new book that offers fans a deeply personal look at her extraordinary stage career. Titled Star of the Show: My Life on Stage, the memoir will be published this fall by Ten Speed Press and marks the final installment in Parton’s autobiographical trilogy.
Written with music journalist Tom Roland, the book follows her earlier works Songteller: My Life in Lyrics and Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones. While those volumes focused on her songwriting and iconic fashion, Star of the Show turns the spotlight on Parton’s decades-long life as a performer — from her early days singing alongside Porter Wagoner to her rise as an international superstar.
Parton, now 79, reflects on the milestones that shaped her journey: her breakout 1977 hit Here You Come Again, her acting debut and soundtrack success with 9 to 5, her acclaimed headline tours, and even her widely celebrated 2023 NFL halftime show performance. Along the way, she shares candid stories of performing with fellow legends such as Kenny Rogers and Linda Ronstadt, offering readers both nostalgia and new revelations.
“Brimming with Parton’s trademark wit and heartfelt sincerity, Star of the Show: My Life on Stage is not only an homage to one of history’s most cherished artists, but also a must-have collector’s item for — and love letter to — any fan of the one and only Dolly Parton,” reads the book’s official description.
The deluxe edition of the book will feature more than 350 full-color photographs, many never before seen, as well as an eight-page gatefold cataloging her performance history. Parton will also narrate the audiobook edition, to be published simultaneously by Penguin Random House Audio.
In an April 17 Instagram announcement, Parton shared her excitement directly with fans: “I’m so excited to finally share my new book with you, Star of the Show: My Life on Stage! This book is a celebration of my journey as a performer, filled with personal stories, cherished memories, and never-before-seen photos from more than seven decades on stage.”
Beyond her writing, Parton has long used her platform to inspire and uplift. She has authored children’s books, including Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas, and co-wrote the bestselling thriller Run, Rose, Run with James Patterson. Her enduring literacy initiative, Imagination Library, founded in 1995, has mailed over 270 million books to children worldwide — a legacy as influential as her music.
Star of the Show: My Life on Stage will be released on November 11, 2025, and is now available for preorder wherever books are sold.
For fans who have followed her through seven decades of music, films, philanthropy, and cultural influence, the book promises to be both a nostalgic journey and a fresh glimpse into the heart of one of America’s most beloved performers.