Everything Dolly Parton Said About Her Health in Lead-Up to Death
The country music icon died on Aug. 25 at 80.
Katherine Bomboy/NBC via Getty Images
Country music legend Dolly Parton died on August 25.
Here’s a look back on everything the late “Jolene” singer said about her health in the year leading up to her death at 80.
Dolly Parton at Dollywood circa 1993.
Ron Davis/Getty Images
Parton first sparked health concerns in September 2025, when she missed a scheduled appearance at Dollywood. She opened the family-friendly entertainment park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in 1986.
In a video message, she told her fans she had “a little problem” that caused her to miss the trip.
“I have a kidney stone which caused me a lot of problems. Turns out there was an infection,” Parton said.
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The issue was not new to Parton. She revealed in 2015 that she had multiple kidney stones removed.
Dolly Parton performing at the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England, in June 2014.
Cathal McNaughton/Reuters
In September 2025, Parton postponed six shows in Las Vegas from December 2025 to September 2026 due to health issues.
“As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures,” she wrote in a statement on Instagram.
She wrote that she wasn’t done singing and performing, adding, “God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet.”
Dolly Parton with her Country Music Award for the Vocal Event of the Year for her and Vince Gill's version of "I Will Always Love You" in 1996.
Jeff Mitchell/Reuters
In October, Parton’s sister, Freida, sparked concern among fans when she asked them to pray for Parton’s health.
Freida wrote that she had “been up all night praying” for Parton, who “hasn’t been feeling her best lately.”
After Freida’s post, many speculated about the state of Parton’s health.
In response, Parton made an Instagram video titled, “I ain’t dead yet.”
In the video, Parton said, “I wanted to say I know lately everybody thinks I am sicker than I am—do I look sick to you?”
She admitted she “did not take care” of herself after her husband of nearly 59 years, Carl Dean, died in March 2025 at age 82.
“I let a lot of things go that I should have been taking care of,” she explained. “So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said, ‘We need to take care of this, we need to take care of that’—nothing major—but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home.”
Parton reassured her fans that everything was OK: “I ain’t ready to die yet and I don’t think God is through with me, and I ain’t done working.”
Dolly Parton accepted her Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award via video during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 16th Governors Awards in Los Angeles, California in November 2025.
Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
In November, Parton missed the IAAPA Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Dollywood and the 2025 Governors Awards, where she was awarded an honorary Oscar for her humanitarian work.
In March, Parton stepped on stage for the first time in six months when she made a surprise appearance for Dollywood’s 41st anniversary.
“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 told the audience.
“I just kind of got worn down and worn out, grieving over Carl and a lot of other little things going on,” she said. “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.”
Dolly Parton on stage with Kenny Rogers circa 1990.
Beth Gwinn/Redferns via Getty Images
During the appearance, Parton also brushed off rumors that she was dating someone new just a year after Dean’s death.
“I think Carl Dean’s waiting for me. If I should show up at the pearly gates with somebody else, he would not like that,” she joked. “He’d be saying, ‘Who’s that little pisser? You leave him outside the gates.’”
Dolly Parton hosted the 35th annual Academy of Country Music Awards in 2000.
Fred Prouser/Reuters
Earlier this month, Parton canceled an appearance at Dollywood after her doctors instructed her not to travel.
On May 4, Parton canceled her upcoming Las Vegas shows, this time revealing more information about her health in an Instagram video.
“The good news is, I’m responding really well to meds and treatments, and I’m improving every day,” she said. “Now, the bad news is that it’s gonna take me a little while before I’m up to stage performance level because some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit swimmy-headed, as my grandma used to say.”
“I’ve told you before that I’ve always had problems with my kidney stones. Lord, they dig more stones out of me a year than the rock quarry in Rockwood, Tennessee,” she joked. “But seriously, my immune system and my digestive system got all out of whack over the past couple, three years, and they’re working real hard on rebuilding and strengthening those. And hopefully, I’ll be up to snuff again soon.”
Barbara Mandrell and Dolly Parton posing with their names on the Walkway of Stars at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1972.
Joe Rudis/USA Today Sports via Reuters
Parton also recalled talking about her health with her late husband: “I remember back years ago, I was saying something, I was griping about something hurting, and Carl said, ‘Now, honey, you know you’ve got to remember you’re not getting any younger.’ I said, ‘Well, honey, you’ve got to remember that as long as there are plastic surgeons in this world, I’m not getting any older.’“
Still, Parton acknowledged that she was equally grateful to her non-cosmetic medical team too. “Plastic surgeons can make you look as good as you can on the outside, but it’s serious business when you’re talking about internal medicine,” she said.
“So I have great doctors, and I’m doing really well, and they assure me that everything I have is treatable. So I’m goin’ with that, and I just want you to know I thank you for standing by me, and that I will always love you.”
Dolly Parton at the opening of Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's new exhibit 'Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker' in Nashville, Tennessee, in May 2025.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
This month, Parton gave her last interview to People, which was published on Aug. 21.
“I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” she said.
“It’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health,” Parton said, recalling a time she dealt with “female issues” in the 1980s.
In 1985, Parton underwent a partial hysterectomy after suffering from severe abdominal pain and bleeding due to endometriosis.
Parton said that social media “magnified” everything.
“I used to joke that I was the Queen of the Tabloids, but now I guess I can say I’m the Queen of Social Media AI! Seriously, though, even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’,” she said.
According to People, Parton was hospitalized on Aug. 21, four days before she died. The reasons for her hospitalization or death have yet to be released.
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