Growing up in an impoverished rural area of Tennessee, Dolly Parton always vowed to give back to the area that shaped her if she ever found success in the music industry. Spoiler alert: she did, becoming one of the best-selling country music artists of all time. Keeping her promise, she opened the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Force, which celebrated its 40th season this year. The “Jolene” singer, 79, frequently drops by Dollywood, particularly for important events. So where was she during Wednesday’s (Sept. 17) opening of the new Night Flight expedition ride? Well, we’ll let her tell you herself.
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Dolly Parton “Had a Little Problem,” But Insists She’s on the Mend
Appearing via video, Dolly Parton explained to fans gathered at Dollywood that she was at home recovering from a kidney stone.
“Hello Dollywood! It’s me,” she told fans. “I know — and I’m here, and you’re there. And you’re wondering why that is? Well, I had a little problem.”
Dolly Parton’s message at @Dollywood today. She couldn’t be here for their announcement because she is dealing with a kidney stone, but says she will be fine! pic.twitter.com/4XtB38sR9S
— Marcus Leshock (@marcusleshock) September 17, 2025
She continued, “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.’ So, he suggested I not go to Dollywood today, but I’m there with you in spirit. I was looking so forward to it.”
As Dolly’s message spread across social media, love poured in for the “Queen of Country.” I’m not sure any of us are emotionally prepared to lose a national treasure at this particular juncture.
[RELATED: 3 Country Songs by Dolly Parton We Can’t Stop Singing Along To]
Catch Dolly in Vegas
It’s been somewhat of a rough year for our queen, as Dolly Parton continues to mourn the loss of her husband. She was married to Carl Dean for nearly 60 years until his death in March 2025, at age 82.
Still, the “Coat Of Many Colors” singer has said that work helps distract from her grief, and she’s dived in headfirst. After nearly a decade-long break from touring, Dolly has announced a six-show run at Las Vegas’ Colosseum at Caesars Palace in December.
“To say I’m excited would be an understatement. I haven’t worked Vegas in years and I’ve always loved singing there,” she said in a statement. “I’m looking so forward to the shows in The Colosseum at Caesars and I hope you are as well. See you there.”
Featured image by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
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