A tearful farewell to Kenny Rogers did not end Dolly Parton’s night. Hours after the final song at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, she held a baby named Dolly Grace and turned grief into a quiet beginning.
October 25, 2017, gave country music a heavy goodbye. The “All In For The Gambler” concert marked Kenny Rogers’ farewell and the last time Dolly Parton and Rogers stood together on stage. Fans watched a beloved chapter close under bright arena lights.
When the cameras stopped rolling, Parton stepped away from the crowd and went to her tour bus. She asked Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman to join her for a private meeting.
Schlapman brought her nine-month-old daughter. The baby had joined the family in January 2017 after years of waiting, infertility, and adoption uncertainty. Their older daughter Daisy had written letters to Santa and prayed nightly for a sibling.
Stephen Schlapman chose the baby’s name with a hopeful heart. He wanted his daughter to grow up with the kindness and grit of a country icon. The family named her Dolly Grace.
Inside the quiet bus, Parton held the child who carried her name. The contrast felt powerful. She had wept over a friendship and partnership reaching its final stage. Then she cradled new life and offered comfort.
Parton still asks Schlapman a warm question whenever they meet.
How’s my Dolly?
The baby from the tour bus is now nine years old, and her family’s adoption journey remains a private chapter.