Dolly Parton made her first public appearance of 2026 yesterday (March 13) and shared a health update with fans.
READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Dolly Parton: “I take care of business”
The country icon’s sister inadvertently raised rumours of her ill health last October, leading Parton to reassure fans after facing several “health challenges” which forced her to cancel her Las Vegas residency.
She has since marked her 80th birthday by sharing a new version of 1977’s ‘Light Of A Clear Blue Morning’ in January, featuring Queen Latifah, Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson and her goddaughter Miley Cyrus to honour the song’s 50th anniversary.
U2 frontman Bono also surprised her by sending a bagpiper to play for her on her 80th birthday, and Parton featured in a pre-recorded video in honour of Ozzy Osbourne‘s Liftetime Achievement Award at the BRIT Awards last month.
But she has rarely been seen in public until yesterday, when she gave a keynote speech on the opening day of her theme park, Dollywood.
“I’ve not been touring, as you know. I’ve had a few little health issues, and we’re taking good care of them,” she said.
“I just kind of got worn down and worn out, grieving over Carl and a lot of other little things going on,” she added, noting the loss of her husband Carl Dean, who she was married to for 58 years before his death last March.
“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.”
Following his passing, the country star previously said that she had put working on new songs “on hold” to cope with the loss but she has since been busy.
She continued: “I’ve just been doing a lot of writing, a lot of thinking, a lot of praying and a lot of getting ready for a lot of new stuff coming up for the rest of this whole year. So, be ready for me. I ain’t done, I ain’t near done.”
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