Dolly Parton Says She Put Her Own Health Aside While Caring for Late Husband Carl Dean

Dolly Parton is asking fans for patience as she continues to recover from health problems she says she largely ignored while caring for her late husband, Carl Dean.

The country music icon has faced a difficult stretch over the past year. She postponed and ultimately canceled plans for a Las Vegas residency because of health concerns, and more recently, she was forced to miss the opening of a major new attraction at Dollywood after her doctor advised her not to travel.

Now, Parton is offering more insight into what she has been dealing with, while making it clear that she intends to keep working as she recovers.

Dolly Parton says she neglected her health while caring for Carl Dean

In an interview with People, Parton acknowledged that she has gone through what she described as “hard times with my health.” She also revealed that some of the problems she is dealing with were issues she had put aside while caring for Dean before his death in March 2025.

“I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” Parton said.

Dean and Parton had been married for nearly 60 years. While Parton has not explained exactly what health problems Dean experienced, she has made clear that caring for him took much of her attention.

That makes her current decision to slow down particularly important. After years of putting work and family first, Parton is now being told to give her own health more attention.

Her recent health problems have forced her to slow down

Parton’s health concerns became more visible toward the end of 2025, when she had to cancel plans for a Las Vegas residency. At the time, reports linked the situation to complications involving kidney stones, an issue Parton has dealt with before.

Concern grew after her sister publicly asked fans for prayers, prompting speculation about the seriousness of Parton’s condition. Parton subsequently reassured fans herself, but the health problems continued to affect her schedule.

Earlier this month, she was scheduled to attend the opening of Dollywood’s new NightFlight Expedition attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Instead, she appeared in a video message from Nashville.

Parton explained that she had been experiencing dizziness and dehydration, and that her Nashville doctor had told her not to travel.

“I’m still in Nashville, and I’m sorry about that. I was supposed to be there in person like we planned,” she told fans.

She added that she had previously mentioned her health issues and that she sometimes becomes “a little dizzy” and dehydrated. Her doctor, she said, had effectively “clipped my wings” by telling her she could not travel that week.

Parton still took part in the celebration virtually, making sure fans knew that her absence did not mean she had stepped away from her work.

She is still working despite the setbacks

Parton has continued moving forward with several major projects while following her doctors’ advice.

Among them is her SongTeller Hotel in Nashville, which will also house the Life of Many Colors Museum. She is also continuing work connected to her forthcoming Broadway musical in New York City.

Speaking about the Nashville project, Parton explained that she knew she wanted to create something special in the city but had not found the right location until she came across the building that would eventually become the hotel.

“I am so proud of this,” she said. “We found this location early one morning.”

Parton recalled seeing a copy of her book, Songteller, in the lobby of what had once been an office building. After touring the property and seeing its location, she felt that she had found the right place.

She wanted to become part of the downtown Nashville scene without simply creating another bar. Instead, the project evolved into a hotel that would also feature her museum on the third floor.

The Life of Many Colors Museum is slated to open in fall 2026.

Dolly Parton has dealt with serious health problems before

Parton also pointed out that her current struggles are not the first time health problems have forced her to step away from work.

She recalled that in the early 1980s, she spent months away from work because of what she described as “female issues.”

“It’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health,” Parton said.

She also reflected on how much more intensely health-related news can spread today because of social media.

“But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn’t years ago,” she said. “I used to joke that I was the Queen of the Tabloids, but now I guess I can say I’m the Queen of Social Media AI!”

Despite the attention surrounding her health, Parton remains determined to keep moving forward.

“Seriously, though, even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’,” she said.

Parton continues connecting with fans from Nashville

Although she has had to scale back some appearances, Parton has continued to communicate with fans and participate in important events virtually.

She recently accepted the ACM Poet’s Award through a video appearance after being unable to attend in person. The recognition came as she continued working on her music and other creative projects while recovering.

Her approach has remained consistent: follow her doctors’ advice, take time to recover, and continue working where she can.

For now, that means spending more time in Nashville and less time traveling. Parton has kept fans informed about her situation while maintaining a busy schedule behind the scenes.

Her health struggles have also come during a deeply personal period following Dean’s death in March 2025. After nearly six decades of marriage, his loss has inevitably marked a major change in Parton’s life.

Shortly after his passing, Parton released “If You Hadn’t Been There,” a song reflecting her love for her husband and their life together.

Now, as she continues to heal, Parton is putting more emphasis on her own wellbeing while still looking ahead to the projects that matter to her.

For someone who has spent decades working at an extraordinary pace, being forced to slow down may be difficult. But for now, her priority is clear: give her body the time it needs to recover while continuing the work she can manage.