Dolly Parton has returned to the public stage, as the iconic “9 to 5” and “Jolene” singer-songwriter made her first major in-person appearance since announcing a health struggle late last year — which she revealed details of as she spoke to the crowd while on stage in Tennessee.
As Entertainment Weekly reports, Parton, 80, greeted attendees during the opening day celebration for her Dollywood theme park’s landmark 41st season. The musician has held stake in the park since 1986. “I’ve been up to a lot,” she confirmed to the crowd, acknowledging the postponement of her Las Vegas concert dates and other public events while she recovered over the last six months.
Onstage with Eugene Naughton, president of the Dollywood Company, Parton joked that fans might’ve mistaken the exec for her “new husband.” In addition to confirming that she’s “not dating anybody” following the 2025 death of husband Carl Dean, she explained the conditions that kept her out of public life in recent months.
As of early 2026, Dolly Parton, 80, had been managing health issues including painful kidney stones which led to a related infection, causing her to postpone her Las Vegas residency and pause some performances to focus on recovery. She stated she became “worn down” after neglecting her health while grieving for her late husband.
Parton addressed rumors about her health, confirming she was not in a critical, life-threatening state, but simply needed to take time to rest, AXS TV reports.
“I’ve not been touring, as you know. I’ve had a few little health issues, and we’re taking good care of them. I just kind of got worn down and worn out, grieving over Carl and a lot of other little things going on,” Parton explained. “I just got myself kind of where I needed to build myself back up spiritually, emotionally, and physically. But, all is good. It didn’t slow me down.”
She added that she thinks her late husband is still watching over her from the other side. “I think Carl Dean’s waiting for me,” she said. “If I should show up at the pearly gates with somebody else, he would not like that. He’d be saying, ‘Who’s that little pisser? You leave him outside the gates.'”
Despite canceling some events in late 2025, she has reassured fans she is not retiring and is getting better, according to The US Sun and Hollywood Reporter.
The entertainer was on hand Friday at Dollywood to usher in a season that’s set to include the opening of the most expensive attraction in the park’s history, NightFlight Expedition, a hybrid indoor roller coaster/chute-style flume attraction that’s slated to welcome riders later this year. Parton also revealed that Dollywood will launch two new stage productions as part of its annual I Will Always Love You Festival this year.
—
Photo Credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com