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Dolly Parton, 79, forced to postpone shows as doctors order medical procedures in heartbreaking update

By Nicola Conville

Copyright hellomagazine

Dolly Parton, 79, forced to postpone shows as doctors order medical procedures in heartbreaking update

Singer Dolly Parton has told fans she has to postpone her long-awaited Las Vegas residency due to health issues. The 79-year-old star has been advised by her doctors that she needs to undergo a series of medical procedures to deal with the health challenges she has been facing. “I want the fans and public to hear directly from me that, unfortunately, I will need to postpone my upcoming Las Vegas concerts,” Dolly shared in a post. “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.” The singer joked that she had told her doctors it “must be time for my 100,000 mile check-up, although it’s the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon.”

On a more serious note, she added: “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.

“While I’ll still be able to work on all of my projects from here in Nashville, I just need a little time to get show ready, as they say.” The Coat of Many Colors singer reassured fans that she wasn’t planning to retire any time soon.

“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,” she wrote.

“I love you and thank you for understanding,” she concluded.

Dolly Parton was absent from her Dollywood theme park earlier in September 2025 due to a health issue that forced her to cancel. 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.'”

Tragically, she also lost her adoring husband, Carl Dean, in March. The couple, who were married for almost 60 years, were deeply devoted to one another.