Dolly Parton is speaking out aboutthe health strugglesthat led to her missing an event honoring her amusement park.
On Monday, the 79-year-old country music icon was expected to attend theInternational Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fameinduction ceremony at the organization's theme park industry convention in Orlando. However, the "Jolene" singer did not attend the ceremony in person. On Wednesday, she shared a video on the DollywoodInstagrampage to explain why.
TheJoyful Noiseactress said that she wished she could appear in person at the ceremony, but was unable to due to "a few health challenges" she has experienced this fall, noting that her doctors told her to "take it easy for just a little while."
"I'm truly sorry I can't be there," she said of the ceremony to honor her Pigeon Forge, Tenn., theme park. "I sure wanted to take the chance to say thank you for this incredible honor."
Parton also reflected on the opening of the theme park in 1986, stating that she felt like a kid at a "birthday party" waiting to see who would show up. She said she's thrilled people are still enjoying the park with their families today.
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"So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for this honor, from me and from everyone who makes Dollywood what it is," Parton said.
Parton's decision to skip the amusement park award ceremony comes after she chose to remotely accept her honorary Oscar from Tennessee, rather than attend the in-person Academy Governors Awards in Hollywood on Sunday. AlthoughVarietyhad earlier reported that Parton would skip the awards due to health concerns, her publicist clarified toUSA Todaythat it was actually a scheduling conflict and that the virtual appearance had been arranged in advance.
In September, Partonpostponed a planned Las Vegas residencythat was originally scheduled for December 2025 due to health issues. The concert series will now be held in September 2026.
"As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures," Parton wrote onInstagramat the time. She added that her main concern was not being able to give fans the best show due to the limited time available for rehearsal.
However, she assured fans she was not "quittin' the business" because "God hasn't said anything about stopping yet."
Parton's health again caused speculation in October, when Parton's sister Freidawrote on Facebookthat she was praying for the star. She later walked back her post in the wake of concerned messages, writing that Parton was "a little under the weather" and that her original message "was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister."
Parton, whosehusband, Carl Dean, died in March, also made light of Freida's message withan Instagram video.
"I wanted to say I know lately everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I'm working hard here," Parton joked in the video.
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She shared that she was using this time off to undergo necessary health procedures after years of prioritizing other aspects of her life over her wellness.
"I didn't take care of myself, so I let a lot of things go that I should have been taking care of," she said. "So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said, 'We need to take care of this. We need to take care of that.'"
