The Nashville Predators will skate out for warmups Saturday wearing a tribute to one of Tennessee's most beloved icons. Ahead of their Nov. 7 matchup against the St. Louis Blues, the team will wear Dolly Parton patches on their Hometown Remix jerseys, each one stitched with “Dolly” above the player's number on the back.
The team announced the tribute patch on Nov. 3, confirming it would be worn on their Hometown Remix jerseys on Saturday, Nov. 7 during warmups against the Blues, according to the Nashville Predators. The design itself carries its own flourishes: per The Tennessean, the patch features a gold butterfly set within a navy and black circle, with “Dolly” rendered in golden script.
After the game, the jerseys will be signed by players and auctioned off through the Nashville Predators Foundation, with proceeds benefiting the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library through the Governor's Early Literacy Foundation, as reported by WZTV. The plan to honor Parton this way first surfaced back in September, when the team announced it would wear the jerseys 10 times during the 2026-27 season, beginning with Saturday's game against the Blues.
How Fans Can Chip In at the Arena
Fans who want a piece of the tribute without bidding on a game-worn jersey have a cheaper option. Logo pins and patches will be available for a $9.25 donation each, offered at the Foundation's table near sections 106 and 107 and at the Nashville Locker Room during home games, while supplies last. Those donations, like the jersey auction proceeds, will go toward the Imagination Library and Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.
The Preds Foundation is also running a children's book drive during Hometown Remix games, with the collected books funneling into the Imagination Library through the Governor's Early Literacy Foundation. The Hometown Remix jersey series itself is framed by the team as a celebration of Nashville's music, artists and fashion scene, with Saturday's game marking the debut of the Dolly Parton-themed edition.
A Program With Deep Roots in Tennessee
The Imagination Library, Parton's signature literacy initiative, has delivered more than 60 million books to Tennessee children since 2004, according to a September report from NewsChannel 9. The outlet's report found roughly 270,000 Tennessee children were enrolled and receiving a free, age-appropriate book each month as of that count. The Governor's Early Literacy Foundation covers half of the program's book and mailing costs with state support, while local partners raise the remaining half, the same report noted.
Charity jersey auctions aren't new territory for the Predators Foundation. In 2023, the organization auctioned off autographed jerseys bearing Covenant School patches that players wore during an April 14 game, with proceeds directed to the Caring for Covenant Fund, Daystar Counseling Ministries and first responders. Saturday's Dolly Parton tribute follows that same model of turning a single night's jerseys into a fundraising tool for causes tied to Nashville's community.
