Country music star Dolly Parton has revealed she is still recovering from health issues while working on new career projects including a museum in Nashville.
Speaking to People magazine on Friday, August 21, the 80-year-old singer stated that despite recent difficult health moments, she continues to stay active. Parton explained that she was dealing with health problems she had ignored while caring for her late husband, Carl Thomas Dean, who died in March 2025 at the age of 82.
Health Challenges and Modern Media
This is not the first time the country icon has faced extended health difficulties. Parton recalled a period in the early 1980s when gynecological problems kept her out of action for several months.
Addressing recent speculation, Parton noted that in today's 24/7 world driven by social media, everything is magnified in a way it was not in the past. She joked that she used to call herself the tabloid queen, but now considers herself the queen of artificial intelligence on social media. On a serious note, she emphasized that while she is still recovering, she is still working.
Parton also revealed that her future touring may take a different format than in previous years. She and her team are collaborating with companies that create avatar performances to offer fans a new musical experience, a plan currently in its early stages of development.
Doctor Orders and Dollywood Absence
The health update follows Parton's absent appearance at the Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, one week earlier. Instead of attending the grand opening of the park's new NightFlight Expedition ride in person, she sent a recorded video message.
Appearing in the video with moving butterfly wings behind her, Parton told fans that her doctors in Nashville had advised her against traveling. She explained that she had previously experienced minor health issues involving dizziness and dehydration, and was currently dehydrated.
Parton remarked that her physician had clipped her wings by telling her not to travel that week. She added that when a doctor gives such instructions, a patient simply has to follow them.
Nashville Museum and New Business Ventures
Despite her health recovery, Parton remains active with multiple upcoming ventures. She announced plans for the Life of Many Colors Museum in Nashville, designed to give fans a close-up look at her life and stories.
According to the museum's official website, the location will feature the largest exhibition in the world dedicated to her life and career.
In addition to the museum project, Parton is developing a new line of dog treats. She is also preparing for the launch of her Cup of Ambition Coffee line, an entrepreneurial idea she said she has had in mind for four decades.
