Dolly Parton sparked fan fears as she canceled an appearance at her Dollywood theme park on Friday due to ongoing ‘health issues.’
The 80-year-old songstress, whose brother passed away last month in July, instead made a virtual appearance to celebrate the grand opening of a new rollercoaster called NightFlight Expedition, per Knoxville News Sentinel.
‘I’m still in Nashville, and I’m sorry about that,’ the Jolene hitmaker explained in a video shown on a large screen to fans.
‘I’m supposed to be there in person, like we planned. Now I’ve told you before, all my fans, that I have had a few little health issues.’
Parton, who wore a pink dress and shimmering fairy wings, said that sometimes she will get ‘a little dizzy’ and also ‘dehydrated.’
‘And I’m dehydrated. And so my personal doctor has kind of clipped my wings saying, “You ain’t traveling this week.”‘
Dolly Parton sparked fan fears as she canceled an appearance at her Dollywood theme park on Friday due to ongoing ‘health issues’; seen in 2025 in Nashville
The music artist added, ‘So I guess if your doctor tells you you ain’t traveling this week, you ain’t traveling this week.’
Towards the end of the clip, Parton expressed that she likes to keep fans ‘in the loop, like I said I would, on everything.’
Dollywood is notably located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee which is a little over three hours away from Nashville.
Over on Instagram, some fans voiced worries for the star as one penned, ‘I’m so, so concerned about her health.’
Another wrote, ‘Queen Dolly we love you always and feel better soon.’
Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Parton for comment, but has yet to hear back.
Back in May, the songstress canceled her six-date Las Vegas residency called Dolly: Live at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum.
The shows had originally been scheduled for later this year in September, but Parton had cited undisclosed ‘health challenges’ as the reasoning behind the cancellation.
‘I’m supposed to be there in person, like we planned. Now I’ve told you before, all my fans, that I have had a few little health issues,’ she explained; seen in 2024 in Nashville
Dollywood is notably located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee which is a little over three hours away from Nashville; seen in 1988
Shortly after, the star shared an update to fans as she explained that she ‘always had problems with my kidney stones.’
However, her immune system and digestive system ‘got all out of whack’ over the past three years and need to be ‘rebuilt and strengthened.’
‘The good news is I’m responding really well to meds and treatments and I’m improving every day,’ she added to her social media followers.
‘Now, the bad news is, 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.’
Parton continued, ‘And of course, I can’t be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars and such on five-inch heels. And you know that I’m going to be wearing them!’
While the singer admitted at the time that she ‘has some healing to do,’ she added that she was surrounded by ‘great doctors.’
‘I’m doing really well and they assure me that everything I have is treatable, so I’m going with that.’
Parton had initially been set to kick off her Las Vegas residency in December 2025, but previously announced that she had to ‘postpone’ the residency to September 2026 due to ‘some health challenges.’
Back in June, Parton made her first public appearance since the cancellation of her Las Vegas residency.
Back in May, the songstress canceled her six-date Las Vegas residency called Dolly: Live at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum; seen in 2025 in Nashville
‘The good news is I’m responding really well to meds and treatments and I’m improving every day,’ she added to her social media followers; seen in 2022
She had returned to the spotlight at the opening of Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee.
The music artist also stepped onto a stage to address the crowd and said, ‘Well, the doors are open and I could not be prouder. Whether you are hauling loads, hauling the family, or just passing through, we built this place for you.’
Parton then took a swipe at travel stop chain Buc-ee’s as she joked, ‘I’m sure some of you want to know why I wanted a truck stop. Well, I couldn’t leave it to beavers.’
Earlier this year in March, she also attended Dollywood’s 41st season opening day celebration.
It came after the singer sparked concern after not attending her 80th birthday concert at the Grand Ole Opry in January and only made a virtual appearance at the 2026 BRIT Awards.
‘I’ve been up to a lot,’ the country singer, whose husband Carl Dean passed away last year, expressed to the crowd, per WLOS News 13.
‘I’ve not been touring, as you know. I’ve had a few little health issues, and we’re taking good care of them.’
Parton then candidly opened up about her late husband’s death and said, ‘I just kind of got worn down and worn out, grieving over Carl and a lot of other little things going on.’
Earlier this year in March, she also attended Dollywood’s 41st season opening day celebration; seen in 2025 in Nashville
She added, ‘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.’
Parton’s husband passed away last year at the age of 82 on March 3, 2025.
In January shortly before her 80th birthday, Parton addressed worries about her health during an interview with People.
The star said, ‘People say, “Well, you’re going to be 80 years old.” Well, so what? Look at all I’ve done in 80 years. I feel like I’m just getting started.
‘I know that sounds stupid, but unless my health gives way, which right now I seem to be doing fine.’
Parton’s husband passed away last year at the age of 82 on March 3, 2025
Parton said, ‘People say, “Well, you’re going to be 80 years old.” Well, so what? Look at all I’ve done in 80 years. I feel like I’m just getting started’; seen in 2019 in L.A.
Parton had fueled further concern after she announced that she would not be attending her 80th birthday tribute concert at the Grand Ole Opry.
However, a source told the Daily Mail that her absence from the event was not medical related.
A representative for Parton said: ‘She was never intending to be there and she was never promoted to be there, so she’s not pulling out of anything. She was never going.’
Last month, it was revealed that the singer’s brother Coy ‘Denver’ Parton passed away at age 82 on July 23.
