Dolly Parton’s sister, Freida Parton, has moved to reassure fans after her recent public plea for prayers for the country music icon caused alarm, according to bbc.com. Freida clarified that she “didn’t mean to scare anyone” when she posted that her sister “hasn’t been feeling her best.”
The concern arose after the “Jolene” singer, 79, was forced to postpone her upcoming Las Vegas residency and pulled out of a Dollywood event due to a kidney stone. The residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace has been pushed from December until September of next year, with the star saying she needs “a few procedures” to deal with ongoing “health challenges.”
“I want to clear something up. I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly,” Freida wrote in a new post on Facebook.
“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,” she added.
Freida’s initial post said she had been “up all night praying for my sister” and felt “led to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me.”
Despite the concern, she ended that message on an upbeat note, writing, “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… We all love you!”
In her latest update, Freida thanked the fans: “Thank you all for lifting her up. Your love truly makes a difference.”
A spokesperson for the country music legend also told CBS News that Parton plans to post a social media message on Wednesday that “will address everyone’s concerns.”
Parton is best known for a string of country crossover hits, including “I Will Always Love You,” “9 To 5,” and “Coat of Many Colours.” The postponed Las Vegas run would have marked her first visit to the Strip since the 1990s. Earlier this year, she dedicated a new song to the memory of her late husband, Carl Dean.
