- Dolly Parton reassures fans she's fine amid health rumors, stating she's not dying.
- Her sister Freida's Facebook post sparked concern, leading to clarification from Dolly.
- Parton postponed her Las Vegas shows due to health challenges but plans to reschedule.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Dolly Parton wants everyone to know she's fine and "not dying."
An odd thing to have to say, yes. But the country music icon, actress, activist and humanitarian posted a video to social media on Wednesday to clear up rumors that had been going around to the contrary.
"I wanted to say, I know lately everybody thinks that I'm sicker than I am," Parton, 79, said in the video from a set where she was filming a commercial. "Do I look sick to you? I'm workin' hard here."
The "9 to 5" star added that she "wanted to put everybody's mind at ease" because many seemed "real concerned, which I appreciate."
"And I appreciate your prayers because I'm a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything, but I want you to know that I'm ok," she added.
What set off the hubbub? On Tuesday night, her sister Freida posted on Facebook that she'd been "up all night praying" for the "Jolene" singer.
"Many of you know she hasn't been feeling her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been led to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me," Freida Parton's post read. "She's strong, she's loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she's going to be just fine. Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!"
Mass panic ensued, reasonably.
But someone apparently had words with Freida, because she went back on Facebook later to tell everyone it didn't mean what it sounded like it meant. "I didn't mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly," she wrote. "It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister."
Later, another sister appeared. This one was named Stella. "My sister Freida is always concerned when one of her siblings isn't feeling well so she ask for prayers on Dolly's behalf," she explained. She then went on to say she was mad about being asked for health updates on her sister.
Fans were on particularly high alert because this call for prayers came so soon on the heels of the death of Parton's husband. Her husband of 60 years died earlier this year; the death of a long-term spouse is associated with illness and even death in the surviving partner.
Late last month, Parton announced that she was postponing her December concerts in Las Vegas due to some "health challenges." She is 79.
She added that she had been told by doctors she has to undergo "a few procedures," without elaborating further.
"Given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see," she wrote at the time.
Parton was set to perform six shows at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in December in her first Las Vegas residency in more than 30 years. Her post included a slide that showed the postponed shows being moved to September 2026.
"I just need a little time to get (the) show ready, as they say. And don't worry about me quittin' the business because God hasn't said anything about stopping yet," she said.
Dolly Parton is one of the most beloved musicians — likely even one of the most beloved people — in the world. She is a long-time best-selling songwriter and performer and actor. Her charitable works include helping underwrite Moderna's vaccine for COVID-19. Her program, which sends books to children, has changed the lives of an untold number of people; the Louisville chapter alone recently noted that it had just mailed its 500,000th book to a child.
