Dolly Parton has shared that she is “taking good care” of herself and is in “good” health, despite facing some ongoing health challenges.
The country music icon provided this uplifting news during a speech at the kickoff for the 41st season of her Dollywood theme park on Friday.
“As you know, I’m not currently touring. I’ve had some minor health concerns, and we’re addressing those,” she told the audience. She also mentioned the passing of her husband, Karl Dean, last year, which has been tough for her.
Parton spoke about her emotional state, saying, “Grieving for Carl and dealing with various little issues had me feeling pretty drained. I realized I needed to lift myself up—mentally, emotionally, and physically. But honestly, everything is fine. It hasn’t held me back.”
Making her first public appearance in months, Parton dazzled in an ornately decorated corset dress while her signature platinum blonde hair was styled in its usual voluminous updo.
While on stage alongside Dollywood Company president Eugene Norton, she humorously noted that fans might confuse him for her “new husband.” However, Parton, now 80, clarified that she is “not dating anyone.”
She shared a lighthearted thought about her late husband, saying, “I think Karl Dean is waiting for me. If I showed up at the Pearly Gates with someone else, he wouldn’t approve. He’d say, ‘Who’s that person? Leave them outside the gates.'” This joke added a touch of warmth to her comments.
Her lively presence came two months after she missed her 80th birthday celebration at the Grand Ole Opry due to her health issues. Just before the event, the venue posted a heartfelt video where she expressed her regrets and thanked fans for their support.
Last September, Parton had announced she was postponing her Las Vegas concert because of health problems. She informed fans that she required some medical procedures and reassured them she could still work on music projects in Nashville, but the preparations for her show would take some time.
Before this recent engagement, she had to cancel an earlier appearance at Dollywood due to kidney stones, following her doctor’s orders to rest and recover.
“I learned I had an infection, and the doctor recommended I not travel at that time,” she recalled.
Three months after that, her goddaughter Miley Cyrus shared that Parton was feeling excited about returning to work, saying, “She’s always going to keep the show going.” Parton herself assured fans, “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. That’s all I can do today.”
