Country Legend Dolly Parton has given fans a fresh update on her health status after suffering from a number of setbacks in 2025, including the loss of her husband Carl Thomas Dean.
Parton, 80, shared a fresh insight into her health and grief on Friday March 13, when she delivered a keynote speech to audiences at the opening day at her theme park, Dollywood. This year’s theme park season marks the 41st since the Tennessee theme park opened – and it was surely a reassuring sign to supporters that she was back on the mend.
“I’ve not been touring, as you know,” Parton said, as seen in footage of the speech shared by WVLT 8. “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,” she continued, while making reference to the loss of her husband of 58 years who passed away in 2025 at the age of 82.
“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 recalled how she had gotten ‘worn down’ after such a gruelling year (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
While it currently remains unclear exactly what the nature is of the health complaints Dolly has been struggling with, it was clear she was still in high spirits as she even went on to crack a joke about the possibility of finding romance again following her bereavement.
In a teasing encounter that saw her share the stage with Dollywood Company President Eugene Naughton, she playfully joked that fans shouldn’t jump to any conclusions that this is her ‘new husband’ before confirming she has not been ‘dating anybody’ since Dean’s death.
“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.’ ”
Dolly postponed her Las Vegas residency last year ( Don Arnold/WireImage)
Parton lost Dean on March 3 2025 and took some time away from the spotlight to grieve privately after the loss of such a hugely influential person in her life. She had been scheduled to return to Las Vegas for a highly anticipated residency in October 2025, but was forced to pull out due to an unspecified illness. She had previously revealed she had battled kidney stones a year prior, however it is currently unknown if the two health issues were connected.
In the same announcement, Parton told fans she was regrettably pushing all performances back by a year to try and focus on her health.
Although the finer details still remain a mystery, Parton did reveal at the time that medics had advised her she ‘must have a few procedures’.
“As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!” she quipped.
Further fuel was also added to the fire just one month later, when Parton’s sister Freida asked people to pray for the singer on Facebook, a move which forced the country singer to finally address the claims.
“I know lately everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am,” Parton said in her video, “Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard here!”
“Anyway, I wanted to put everybody’s mind at ease, those of you that seem to be real concerned, which I appreciate and I appreciate your prayers,” she went on, “because I’m a person of faith.”
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