Dolly Parton Missed Multiple Major Events Over Health Issues. What We Know

It was a good week for Dolly Parton, who was honored at the 2025 Governor's Awards and inducted into the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions' Hall of Fame. However, the "Jolene" singer unfortunately had to miss out on both events, sparking fans' concern for Parton's health once again. But according to the country icon herself, there's no need to worry.

On November 16, Parton was awarded an honorary Oscar — the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award — at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governors Awards, an event she couldn't attend in person. However, she virtually accepted her accolade in a video message. While rumors suggested her absence was due to Parton's previously disclosed health struggles, a representative for the singer told USA Today that it was actually because of an overlap in her schedule.

However, her nonappearance at her IAAPA Hall of Fame induction ceremony on November 17 was, in fact, a result of her health issues. As she revealed in another video message, which was posted by Dollywood on Instagram, "I sure wish I could be with you in person today, but you probably heard that I've been dealing with a few health challenges this fall, and my doctors told me to take it easy for just a little while."

Many Dolly Parton lovers may have immediately assumed her absence from recent events had to do with her health because the "9 to 5" hitmaker was previously candid about what has been going on in her personal life. On September 28, Parton announced on Instagram that she would have to postpone her December Las Vegas shows until next fall because of "health challenges" that would involve her undergoing "a few procedures." Concern for Parton escalated when her sister, Frieda, posted on Facebook asking fans to pray for the musician, as "she hasn't been feeling her best lately." This sparked rumors about Parton, whom many believed wasn't telling the whole story about how serious her health issues were.

However, Parton took to Instagram on October 8 to set the record straight. "I wanted to put everybody's mind at ease ... I want you to know that I'm okay," she said in a video, which she captioned, "I ain't dead yet." Parton explained that while she was grappling with the death of her husband, Carl Dean, she didn't take care of herself, which is why she is getting "treatment" for what she said were a few minor things. But as she asserted in the video, "I wanted you to know that I'm not dying."