Dolly Parton Says “I’m Not Dying” After Sister Asks For Prayers

Dolly Parton isn’t dying, she assured worried fans on Wednesday in a video posted to her social media.

“I want to say something,” the 79-year-old music legend said at the start of the video, which she said was taken on Wednesday.  “I know lately everybody thinks I’m sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard here.” 

She said she was “doing some commercials for the Grand Ole Opry,” and stated: “I’m not dying.”

Parton’s spokesperson, Marcel Pariseau, told CBS News on Tuesday that she was filming the video to address everyone’s concerns. It comes after Parton’s sister, Freida Parton, posted on social media asking for prayers for the “9 to 5” singer.

“I wanted to put everybody’s mind at ease,” Parton said in her video. “I appreciate your prayers because I’m a person of faith. I could always use the prayers for anything and everything. But I want you to know that I’m OK.”

Parton appeared in good spirits and joked that she had seen some AI images of Reba McEntire at her deathbed.

“If I was really dying, I don’t think Reba would be the one at my death bed. She might come visit me earlier,” she said. “Anyway, there’s just a lot of rumors flying around, but I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was OK.”

The country superstar added that she had not been taking care of herself when her husband Carl Dean, who died earlier this year, was sick for a long time.

“When I got around to it, the doctor said, ‘We need to take care of this. We need to take care of that.’ Nothing major but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home,” Parton said.

Last month, Parton announced she was postponing her upcoming Las Vegas concerts over recent “health challenges.”

“I’m not ready to die yet,” Parton said in closing. “I don’t think God is through with me and I ain’t done working. So I love you for caring, and thank you for praying for me.”

CBS News