Even national treasures have to listen to their doctors.
Country music icon Dolly Parton was set to celebrate a huge milestone at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, for the dedication of the theme park’s newest and most expensive attraction, NightFlight Expedition. However, fans who gathered for the grand opening were greeted with a video message instead of an in-person appearance.
Appearing on screen from Nashville, Parton wore colorful, flapping butterfly wings to announce that she wouldn’t be attending the opening. As always, she handled the update with her signature humor and grace.
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“Now, I’ve told you before, all my fans, that I’ve had a few little health issues, and sometimes I get a little dizzy, and I get dehydrated,” she said. “Now I’m dehydrated, and so my Nashville doctor kind of clipped my wings, saying, ‘You ain’t traveling this week.’ So I guess if your doctor tells you you ain’t traveling this week, you ain’t traveling this week!”
As she spoke, her butterfly wings flapped behind her.
“I’ve had my butterfly wings flappin’ since May 15 when we were due to open the first time, and again in June,” she joked. So we’re gonna open it today. That’s why I’m here [in Nashville], because my little butterfly wings are getting kinda tired.”
Reassuring Her Fans
While missing out on seeing Parton in person is a letdown for park visitors, the “Jolene” singer made sure to ease any worries about her overall well-being. Local Knoxville outlets reported that she had to cancel just the day before, so her impromptu message was a welcome relief for worried fans.
“All is going well on the medical end of things,” she promised before sharing that she is still actively plugging away at a lengthy list of creative ventures, including the Songteller Hotel, her Life of Many Colors Museum in Nashville, and an upcoming Broadway musical in New York.
“But let’s just say I’ve talked enough about me, don’t you think?” she added with a smile, encouraging everyone at the park to go enjoy the new ride.
Prioritizing Rest and Recovery
Parton has spoken openly with her audience over the past year about managing her physical health while processing the loss of her husband, Carl Dean, in 2025.
Her health journey has included a few recent hurdles. Last September, she postponed her Las Vegas residency to undergo a few procedures, later sharing that she’d been dealing with kidney stones and a struggling immune and digestive system.
“Lord, they dig more stones out of me a year than the rock quarry in Rockwood, Tennessee,” she said in a May 4 Instagram video post.
She ended the video on a happy note: “I’m doing really well, and they assure me that everything I have is treatable, so I’m going with that, and I just want you to know I thank you for standing by me and that I will always love you.”
