Dolly Parton has sparked concern for her health especially over the past year, especially after she was forced to pull out of an appearance at Dollywood last year before she postponed her Las Vegas residency.
Fears for Dolly reached a fever pitch when her sister, Freida Parton, posted a message on Facebook asking fans to pray for her sister as she confirmed she "hasn't been feeling her best."
Things came to a head on May 4, 2026, when the singer took to social media with a lengthy video message in which she announced her residency had been canceled, and dove deeper into the extent of her health issues. But what is actually wrong with Dolly? Here's all she's said...
© Katherine Bomboy/NBC via Getty IWhat is wrong with Dolly?
In September 2025, Dolly was forced to withdraw from an appearance at Dollywood to announce the latest attraction coming to the theme park. Ahead of the news that the park would unveil the Night Flight Expedition ride in 2026, a video of the country legend was shown to the audience. In the clip, Dolly revealed that she was absent from the event because she was recovering from kidney stones and couldn't travel as per the doctor's orders.
"Hello Dollywood! It's me," she said. "I know — and I'm here, and you're there. And you're wondering why that is? Well, I had a little problem. I had a kidney stone that was causing me a lot of problems, turned out it'd given me an infection, and the doctor said, 'You don't need to be traveling right this minute, so you need a few days to get better.' He suggested I not go to Dollywood today, but I'm there with you in spirit. I was looking so forward to it. Don't worry about me, I'm gonna be okay. Just can't do it today."
Shortly after, Dolly announced on Instagram that due to her "health challenges," she would be postponing her Las Vegas residency. "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… Given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see. You pay good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you."
She added: "And don’t worry about me quittin' the business because God hasn't said anything about stopping yet. But, I believe He is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you."
Dolly Parton and her sister, Freida Parton
Why her sister Freida Parton asked for "prayers"
Dolly's sister, Freida Parton, sparked more concern when she shared a Facebook post on October 7, 2025. "Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly. Many of you know she hasn't been feeling her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been led to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me," Frieda wrote.
"She's strong, she's loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she's going to be just fine. Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!" she added. However, after an overwhelming response and concern for Dolly, Freida shared another message admitting she had not meant to make her sister's condition sound so serious with her earlier post.
"I want to clear something up," she said on Facebook. "I didn't mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly. She's been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer. It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister. Thank you all for lifting her up. Your love truly makes a difference."
© GettyDolly's manager said her health issues have been 'blown out of proportion'
Dolly's update
Following Freida's social media post, Dolly's manager, Olly Rowland, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the "Jolene" singer's health issue has been "blown out of proportion," confirming she is still dealing with kidney stones. Olly said: "It's just the kidney stones, and the procedure she needs to resolve those. It looks like her sister posted, and it got quite a bit blown out of proportion, weirdly."
Later, Dolly shared her own message about her health, posting a video on Instagram and insisting, "I ain't dead yet!" She added: "I wanted to put everybody's mind at ease, those of you that seem to be real concerned, which I appreciate. I appreciate your prayers, 'cause I'm a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything. But I want you to know that I'm okay."
Admitting she neglected her health after her late husband, Carl Dean's, death in March 2025, Dolly added: "I let a lot of things go that I should've been taking care of. 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. Nothing major, but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home, closer to Vanderbilt [University Medical Center], where I'm kind of having a few treatments here and there, but I wanted you to know that I'm not dying."
© Getty ImagesCanceling her residency
With a new video message shared on May 4, 2026, Dolly opened up about the extent of her health problems, and revealed that she would be canceling her Vegas residency to give herself more time to recover and revitalize herself.
"Well hey there, it's Dolly, and I am here to give you an update on a few things going on in my life. First, it's concerning my health, and I have some good news and a little bad news," she started.
She explained that she's currently on "meds and treatments" and is responding quite well to them, but as for the "bad news," she phrased them in more comic terms, comparing herself mostly to a car by saying: "My transmission is slipping, my oil pan is leaking and my muffler's busted; and my shocks and pistons need to be replaced."
As Dolly put it, she was feeling "swimmy-headed," quoting a phrase her grandmother would use, to denote that she would get dizzy and easily fatigued with too much exertion.
© Getty ImagesDolly's journey with kidney stones
The recurring issue of kidney stones was also mentioned, with the singer adding: "But seriously, my immune system and my digestive system got all out of whack over the past couple of three years, and they're working real hard on rebuilding and strengthening those. And hopefully I'll be up to snuff again soon."
"Kidney stones are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys. They can vary in size and are often composed of calcium oxalate, but can also contain other compounds like uric acid, struvite, or cystine," Dr Raj Arora of The Facebible told HELLO!.
"Kidney stones can cause severe pain, often described as one of the most intense sensations a person can experience, typically in the side of the abdomen, back, or groin."
