Dolly Parton has directly addressed swirling rumours about her health, assuring fans in a video, “I’m not ready to die yet,” after her sister’s request for public prayers sparked widespread concern, per bbc.com.
The 79-year-old Country music legend posted the video on Wednesday while filming commercials for the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, telling her followers, “I know lately everybody thinks that I’m sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard.”
The panic began after Parton’s sister, Freida Parton, posted on Facebook that the country icon “hasn’t been feeling her best” and asked for prayers. However, Freida quickly followed up with a second post to clarify her intentions:
“I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly,” she wrote. “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.”
Parton explained that her health issues, which included a diagnosis of a kidney stone, came after a period of neglect following the death of her husband, Carl Dean, earlier this year. The couple had been married for nearly 60 years.
“I didn’t take care of myself [after her husband died],” Parton said. “So I let a lot of things go that I should have been taking care of… The doctors said ‘we need to take care of this’ and ‘we need to take care of that.’ Nothing major, but I did have to cancel some things.”
She had recently been forced to pull out of a Dollywood event due to the kidney stone and had already postponed her six December shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas until next September, citing the need for “a few procedures” to deal with ongoing “health challenges.”
The legendary singer, known for hits like “Jolene,” “9 To 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” wrapped up her message on a characteristically upbeat note, thanking fans for their support.
“There’s a lot of rumours flying around, and I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I’m ok,” she concluded. “I don’t think God is through with me, and I ain’t done working.”
