Dolly Parton Shuts Down Health Rumors: ‘Do I Look Sick to You? I Ain’t Dead Yet!’

Dolly Parton is setting the record straight about her health after a wave of online speculation.

The 79-year-old country music icon posted a video to social media Wednesday, telling fans she’s alive, well, and busy filming a Grand Ole Opry commercial. “I wanted to say, I know lately everybody thinks that I’m sicker than I am,” Parton said in the clip. “Do I look sick to you? I’m workin’ hard here.”

Wearing a red and black fringe outfit, the “9 to 5” star thanked her fans for their concern and prayers but reassured them she’s fine. “I can always use the prayers for anything and everything, but I want you to know that I’m ok,” she said. The video was playfully captioned, “I ain’t dead yet!”

Parton explained that her health issues began when she neglected her own well-being while caring for her late husband, Carl Dean, who passed away in March after a long illness. “When I got around to it, the doctor said, ‘We need to take care of this, we need to take care of that.’ Nothing major, but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home,” she said.

Concerns intensified after her sister Freida posted a Facebook message asking for prayers, writing that she’d been “up all night praying” for Dolly. The post led to widespread worry before Freida later clarified she didn’t mean to alarm fans. Another sister, Stella Parton, also reassured the public that Dolly was doing fine.

Parton previously postponed her Las Vegas residency scheduled for December, citing “health challenges” that required “a few procedures.” The shows, which would have marked her first Vegas run in over 30 years, were rescheduled for September 2026.

Known for her decades-long career as a singer, songwriter, and philanthropist, Parton remains one of the most beloved figures in music. Her Imagination Library program has provided millions of free books to children worldwide, and she famously helped fund the development of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.

In her message to fans, Parton summed it up simply: “I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me and I ain’t done workin’. So I love you for caring and keep praying for me.”

Credit: CNN Newsource

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