Dolly Parton Announces Eight-Part Netflix Series Based On Her Music

Netflix has greenlit a Dolly Parton anthology series, set to premiere in 2019, the company announced today. Each of the eight episodes will be based on one of Parton's songs, with the Emmy award-winning singer-songwriter appearing in select episodes and executive producing the series.

"As a songwriter, I have always enjoyed telling stories through my music," Parton said in a statement. "We hope our show will inspire and entertain families and folks of all generations."

Rumors about the project began over the weekend (and perhaps contributed to today's announcement), when Grace and Frankie star (and Parton's former co-star on the film 9 to 5) Lily Tomlin accidentally teased the show's existence at promotional panel for Grace and Frankie. According to IndieWire, Tomlin said she'd be delighted to have Parton appear on her show. "But she's just so busy," Tomlin said. "She does so many things, and now she has a big show deal herself at Netflix, so I don't know."

Tomlin was right to say Parton keeps busy — she's currently finishing production on the soundtrack to the upcoming Jennifer Aniston movie Dumplin', released an album of children's music last year and recently donated her 100 millionth children's book through her Imagination Library project.

In 2015, Parton and Warner Bros. Television, a producer of the new series, collaborated on the NBC TV movie Coat Of Many Colors, a holiday special; which led to 2016's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle Of Love.

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