Dolly Parton says she is recovering while continuing to work
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Dolly Parton has given a further update on the health issues she has faced since the death of her husband, Carl Dean, in March 2025, telling People magazine that she "just didn't pay attention" to her own wellbeing while caring for him. The 80-year-old country star, who has since been forced to appear only virtually at several public engagements, insisted she remains professionally active despite ongoing treatment, saying "even though I'm still healin', I'm still workin'."
Parton compared her current situation to a period in the early 1980s when she was "down for several months with female issues," and wryly noted that constant social media attention now makes her feel like "the Queen of Social Media AI" rather than the tabloids. Her doctor has advised against travel due to dizziness and dehydration, meaning she accepted the Poet's Award at the Academy of Country Music Awards remotely and greeted fans by video, wearing sparkling wings, at the opening of Dollywood's new NightFlight Expedition ride. Nonetheless, she continues to develop new projects, including "avatar performances" still in early development, and her SongTeller Hotel in Nashville, featuring the Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum, is due to open the following month.
- Dolly Parton, 80, confirms ongoing health issues after husband Carl Dean's 2025 death
- Doctor's orders keep her from travelling; recent appearances have been virtual
- She's still working, developing avatar shows and a Nashville museum/hotel opening soon
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Dolly Parton is one of the best-known figures in American country music, having built a career spanning several decades alongside business ventures including the Dollywood theme park. At 80, she has recently drawn public concern after appearing only by video link at a number of high-profile events, prompting questions about her health.
The immediate context is personal loss and physical strain: her husband, Carl Dean, died in March 2025 after the couple had been together for many years, and Parton has said that caring for him meant she neglected some of her own health issues. Her doctor has also advised her against travelling because of dizziness and dehydration, which explains her recent virtual-only appearances.
Despite this, Parton continues to have a busy schedule of professional commitments, including new creative projects and the opening of a Nashville hotel and museum dedicated to her life and career. The story matters because it touches on the tension between her public image as a tireless entertainer and the more private reality of ageing and grief, at a time when fans and media are closely watching her wellbeing.
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Originally published by Rolling Stone as “Dolly Parton Shares Health Update With Fans: ‘I’m Still Healin,’ I’m Still Workin””.