Dolly Parton Set To Skip Another Event As Health Mystery Rages On

Absences from events are slowly becoming a thing for Dolly Parton!

The iconic country singer shares that she will be sitting out on yet another event coming up in about a week. This is gradually becoming her new normal as she attends more events virtually rather than in person.

Dolly Parton has been in the industry for decades and has written thousands of songs. Through her music and personality, she has acquired a large fan base who long to see her at shows and continue to show genuine concern for her health.

One could miss several occasions and events, but who skips their own birthday, which happens to be a celebration of a milestone? Apparently, Parton checks her name out on that list. The Grand old Opry House is hosting a birthday weekend celebration for the legendary singer with other artists on January 17, 2026.

The event is arranged to honor the queen of the country as she turns eighty years old, and tickets are available to the public. In the awareness post, a short video of Parton addressing her fans. She starts with appreciating the House of Opry for putting the celebration together, which would highlight her songs. 

Parton adds that some of her best memories as a performer took place on the Opry stage before adding how much she wishes she could be there in person to attend the event but instead stuck to sending her love and wishing everyone a splendid night.

The music icon is seen in the Instagram video dressed in a pair of blue jeans with yellow highlights on the sides and a white and yellow chic shirt. Her smile beamed through as she spoke, and she appeared hale and hearty.

The Opry has the whole itinerary planned out for that day to keep the fun alive in Parton's absence. Their official account shares the different activities centered around honoring the "Jolene" singer in the comments.

There are going to be specialty Dolly-themed drinks, a large birthday card for fans to sign, and a Dolly impersonator for photos, to name a few. Online users started sending "happy birthday" messages, some sent cake and heart emojis, and others expressed how excited they were for that weekend.

Amid all the joys, a number of fans expressed concern for the singer, noting she has not been at the Opry house since 2019, and asked why she has been so absent from physical events.

"What's wrong with Dolly? Is she still under the weather or sick, or she's got other things going on? I'm starting to get worried about her," a concerned fan wrote.

Parton's health issues are beginning to give fans a scare, mainly because she is sitting out on many important public events. In November last year, she was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Governors' Awards. Her absence was felt as she accepted the award on video.

Also, Parton missed the IAAPA Hall of Fame ceremony, which celebrated Dollywood. She also shared a prerecorded video where she said:

"I sure wish I could be with you in person today, but you probably heard that I've been dealing with a few health challenges this fall, and my doctors told me to take it easy for just a little while."

Fans expressed worry, wondering to what extent her condition was as she appeared and sounded like her usual self in the videos.

Miley Cyrus stepped out on the red carpet last month for the premiere of James Cameron's latest movie, "Avatar: Fire and Ash." While walking on the carpet, she paused to answer a few questions.

Cyrus is Parton's goddaughter, so one of the interviewers asked about her health. Cyrus assured fans and the reporters that she was hale and hearty and that there was nothing to worry about regarding her health.

As reported by The Blast, the "Hannah Montana" actress said in the same interview that Parton was even pleased about going back to work. In her words, "She's always gonna keep the show going. The show must go on. She's just excited to get back to work."

The duo has a beautiful relationship; Cyrus has known the Queen of country since birth, and Parton admits to treating her like her own daughter.

Due to her health challenges, the country singer had to reschedule most of her events, including her "Dolly: Live in Las Vegas" residency. The show was initially scheduled to take place in December last year at the Colosseum concert venue.

Taking time off for now is necessary to allow her to recover fully to make top-tier performances this year. Parton is set to take the stage by September 2026 and has plans to make up for all the lost performances.

She has also previously shared that despite her age, she remains active and is focused on pushing herself harder and closer to her goals. Her run in the industry is far from over, as Parton intends to continue building her legacy.

Wishing Dolly Parton a speedy recovery!