Dolly Parton says she’s not dead yet regarding her health

Dolly Parton wants her fans to know that she is doing well despite some health issues.

Parton, 79, addressed her concerns about recent health issues in a video she shared to social media, a day after her sister Frida told fans she had been “pulling up all night” for the star.

The “9 to 5” singer was on the set of a Grand Ole Opry commercial on Wednesday, Oct. 8, and said, “I think everyone is sicker than me these days.”

“Do I look like I’m not feeling well? I’m working hard here! Anyway, I wanted to put everyone’s minds at ease, but it seems like they’re really concerned and I appreciate that,” she said. “Thank you for your prayers, because I’m a man of faith. I can always use prayer for anything. But I want you to know that I’m okay.”

Parton went on to say that part of her “issues” are related to the aftermath of her husband Karl Dean’s death in March, which caused her to neglect her own health. The couple were married for 58 years until Dean passed away on March 3 at the age of 82.

“When my husband Carl was seriously ill, which lasted for a long time, when he passed away, I let go of a lot of things that I should have taken care of because I didn’t take care of myself,” she said. “Anyway, when I tried to fix it, the doctor said, ‘This needs to be dealt with. We need to deal with it. It wasn’t a big deal, but I had to cancel some things to be closer to home, closer to Vanderbilt (University Medical Center). So I’m kind of getting some treatments here and there, but I wanted you to know that I’m not going to die.’

The star went on to joke about an AI photo circulating showing her on her “deathbed” with Reba McIntyre, quipping that if she was “really dying,” McIntyre probably wouldn’t be around.

“There’s a lot of rumors going around, but I thought if you heard it from me, you’d know I’m okay,” she said. “Anyway, that’s what I meant and I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is done with me and I’m not done with the job. So I love that you care and I’ll continue to pray for me.”

The video was released a day after Frida sparked concern with a Facebook post encouraging fans to pray for the country legend as she had “not been feeling well lately”.

“I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have begun asking all the people around the world who love her to become prayer warriors and pray with me,” Frida, 68, wrote. “She’s strong and she’s loved. I know in my heart she’s going to be okay because every prayer is being said for her. Oh my god, sissy Dolly. We all love you!”

Frieda later issued a post of explanation, writing that she “didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound that serious” when she asked for prayers for her sister.

“I strongly believe in the power of prayer, so I just asked for prayers. It was nothing more than a sister asking for prayers for her sister,” she wrote in a Facebook post.

On September 28, Parton announced that she would be postponing some of her upcoming Las Vegas dates because she needed to undergo “some procedures” and wouldn’t have as much time as she would like to rehearse.

“We want our fans and the public to hear directly that, unfortunately, we have to postpone our upcoming concert in Las Vegas,” Parton wrote in a statement shared to social media. “As many of you know, I have been suffering from some health issues and my doctors have told me that I need some procedures. As I joked to them, it must be time for my 100,000 checkup. Even though it’s not my usual time to go see a plastic surgeon!”

“Seriously, given this situation, I wouldn’t be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see. I think it would be good money to see me perform. I want the best for you,” the “Jolene” singer added.

The Grammy winner also said fans “don’t have to worry about me quitting business because God hasn’t said anything about quitting business yet.”

“But I believe God is telling me to slow down now so that I can be ready for even bigger adventures with you all,” she concluded. “I love you and thank you for understanding.”

Parton later revealed that her concert date, originally scheduled for December 2025, will now take place in the fall of 2026.

The postponement of the residency comes just over a week after Parton skipped an event at the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In the video, Parton said she was dealing with a “minor issue” that forced her to miss an event to unveil the park’s new Night Flying Expeditions ride.

“It turns out I had a kidney stone and it was causing me a lot of problems and it was causing an infection, and the doctor said, ‘You don’t need to travel right now, you need a few days to get better,'” she said. “So he suggested we not go to Dollywood today, but I’ll be there with you in spirit. I was really looking forward to it.”