Dolly Parton says she is still recovering from the health problems that have changed some of her public plans, but slowing down creatively does not appear to be part of the conversation.
In a new PEOPLE interview, the 80-year-old country legend said she has been through some “hard times” with her health and acknowledged that she put some of her own needs aside while caring for her late husband, Carl Dean. “Even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’,” she said.
Dean died in March 2025 at age 82 after nearly 60 years of marriage to Parton. She told the publication that she is now dealing with health issues she “just didn’t pay attention to” while looking after him, without identifying one diagnosis as the explanation for everything she has been experiencing.
Her workload nevertheless remains extensive. Parton is preparing to open her SongTeller Hotel and the largest museum exhibition ever devoted to her life, while continuing to work on music, products and even an early-stage idea for avatar performances that could offer fans another way to experience her songs.
Parton Says She Is ‘Still Healin’, Still Workin’’
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Parton’s latest comments add context to the health updates she has been sharing throughout 2026. She told PEOPLE that this is not the first difficult stretch she has experienced physically, recalling that health issues also sidelined her for months during the early 1980s. What feels different now, she said, is the intensity of the attention surrounding every update in the social-media era.
The current problems followed an emotionally demanding period in which Parton was caring for Dean before his death. “I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” she told PEOPLE.
In a lengthy May health update, she instead described a combination of problems that included recurring kidney stones and immune and digestive systems that had gotten “out of whack.” At the time, she said she was responding well to medication and treatment but was not physically ready for the demands of full stage performances.
Her Health Forced Her to Cancel the Las Vegas Shows
Parton had originally planned a six-show Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for December 2025. She postponed those concerts because of her health, initially moving them to September 2026. In May, however, she announced that the residency would be canceled.
Parton explained that some of her medication could leave her feeling “swimmy-headed,” which was especially important given the physical demands of one of her performances. She pointed out that appearing onstage as Dolly Parton involves more than standing at a microphone. Her shows require high heels, elaborate costumes, instruments and the energy to perform safely for a full audience.
That meant she could continue recording, writing and working on projects without pretending she was ready to return to the same kind of live schedule she had maintained in the past.
Her newest idea could eventually create a different kind of performance option. Parton told PEOPLE that her team has started collaborating with companies that produce “avatar performances.” She emphasized that the concept remains in the “early stages of development,” so no specific production, venue or launch date has been announced.
A Doctor Recently Stopped Her From Traveling to Dollywood
@walruscarp Dolly Parton’s Speech for NightFlight Expedition with great news about her health. She was missed but thank you Miss Dolly for such a great park and new attraction! #dollyparton #dollywood #dollywoodthemepark #nightflightexpedition #pigeonforge ♬ original sound – Kirk • Theme Park Expert
The new interview arrived one week after Parton’s health kept her away from another major event. She had been expected at Dollywood on Aug. 14 for the dedication of NightFlight Expedition, the theme park’s new indoor adventure coaster and the largest single attraction investment in Dollywood history.
Instead, Parton appeared through a prerecorded video from Nashville. She told the crowd that she sometimes becomes dizzy and was dealing with dehydration at the time. Her doctor therefore told her not to make the trip to Pigeon Forge that week.
Parton turned the restriction into a joke, saying her Nashville doctor had “clipped my wings.” She also reassured fans that her health was improving and said she planned to return to Dollywood when she was able.
She Is Still Writing, Recording and Building New Projects
She has continued recording music and videos and working on Dolly: A True Original Musical, the Broadway project based on her life and career. On Aug. 19, she also accepted the ACM Poet’s Award through a prerecorded appearance. During that message, Parton described songwriting as a source of therapy, joy and creative purpose throughout her life. Her business projects are expanding as well.
Parton told PEOPLE that she is developing a line of dog treats with Purina and preparing to launch Cup of Ambition Coffee with Community Coffee. The coffee project takes its name from the famous “cup of ambition” lyric in “9 to 5,” an idea she said she had wanted to pursue for decades. The coffee is expected to become available for nationwide online shipping in September.
Her New Nashville Museum Will Be the Largest Dolly Parton Exhibit Anywhere
Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum will occupy the entire third floor of Parton’s new SongTeller Hotel in downtown Nashville. The museum’s official site describes it as the largest exhibition celebrating Parton’s life anywhere in the world. The experience will span more than 20,000 square feet and cover her story across music, movies, touring, philanthropy, family, faith and fashion.
Visitors will see artifacts from Parton’s archive alongside multimedia and immersive displays, with sections taking them behind the scenes of her performances and other defining moments from her career. Parton told PEOPLE that she had known she wanted to create something significant in downtown Nashville but had resisted simply joining the area’s growing collection of celebrity-branded bars.
The answer came when she toured a former office building and noticed a copy of her book Songteller sitting in its lobby. The location ultimately became the home of both projects.
SongTeller Hotel is scheduled to welcome its first guests in September 2026. The museum’s current official site lists its opening for October, with a separate entrance at 126 3rd Avenue North.