Dolly Parton misses a Dollywood appearance over health problems

Dolly Parton was supposed to be in person at Dollywood on Friday for the opening of the theme park's new NightFlight Expedition roller coaster, but stayed in Nashville after her doctor stepped in. "My Nashville doctor clipped my wings, saying you ain't traveling this week," she told the crowd from home, joining the celebration by video instead of in person.

Parton kept the tone playful anyway, marking the ride's debut in a pair of fairy wings and telling the crowd, "I like to keep you in the loop." She has said before that her ongoing health issues bring on dizziness and dehydration, and Friday's absence was the latest sign those problems have not fully cleared up.

The missed appearance continues a pattern from the past year. Parton has stepped back from live performances and canceled a planned Las Vegas residency while she deals with the issues. In May she said she was responding well to treatment after her immune and digestive systems had gotten "all out of whack," a phrase she used herself to describe the setback.

She has also tied the decline to grief, saying the 2024 death of her husband, Carl Dean, took a physical and emotional toll. The health news has run alongside other Parton headlines this year, including when she received the Americana Music Association's lifetime achievement award and after prosecutors declined to press charges over a defaced mural bearing her image.

Parton, who turned 80 in January 2026, gave no timetable for when she might travel or perform in person again. She has spent the past year finding ways to stay connected to fans without touring, and the virtual Dollywood appearance, tracked here as part of our country coverage, was the latest example.