Dolly Parton’s ongoing health battle forces country legend to miss major Dollywood event

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Dolly Parton says no matter what happens, she’ll always be a country girl at heart. Country music icon Dolly Parton missed a major Dollywood event Friday after her doctor advised her to stay in Nashville because of continued "health issues." The 80-year-old "9 to 5" singer was expected to appear in person at the Tennessee theme park for the opening of its new NightFlight Expedition roller coaster, but she joined the celebration virtually after her doctor told her not to travel. "I’m still in Nashville, and I’m sorry about that," Parton told the crowd during a video appearance at the event, according to video shared by the Knoxville News Sentinel. DOLLY PARTON'S SISTER OFFERS HEALTH UPDATE ON COUNTRY ICON AFTER FANS WORRY OVER HER CALL FOR PRAYERS Dolly Parton's ongoing health issues forced her to skip a Dollywood appearance, months after canceling he