Freida later clarified that she didn't intend to "scare anyone," and Dolly's manager confirmed that the country icon was dealing with kidney stones.
Dolly Parton sent fans into a panic after she postponed her Las Vegas residency due to "health challenges." But according to her family and management team, the country icon was just "a little under the weather."
On Sept. 28, the "9 to 5" singer shared on Instagram that she was moving the show dates because she had to undergo "a few procedures" and she wouldn't have enough time to rehearse. The announcement came weeks after she missed an on-site event at Dollywood because she was recovering from a kidney stone infection.
"I had a kidney stone that was causing me a lot of problems, turned out it'd given me an infection," Dolly addressed the audience in a video played during the Sept. 17 event. "And the doctor said, 'You don't need to be traveling right this minute, so you need a few days to get better.' "
Concerns arose that the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter's health was more dire than she led on after her sister, Freida Parton, shared an alarming message on Facebook. Her Oct. 7 post said she was "up all night praying" for Dolly and asked fans to do the same.
She clarified in another Facebook post later that day that she "didn't mean to scare anyone" and that her sister was just "a little under the weather." Dolly's rep, Olly Rowland, also confirmed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that "it's just the kidney stones" keeping her from performing.
Here's what we know about Dolly Parton's health.
The "Coat of Many Colors" singer announced in June 2025 that she was scheduled to perform six shows at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas that December. But three months later, she postponed the concerts to the fall of 2026.
"As many of you know, I've been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures," Dolly wrote in her Instagram post announcing the postponement. "As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000 check-up, although it's not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!"
Though she didn't specify her condition, Dolly shared earlier in the month that she had developed an infection from her kidney stones.
In a September video explaining her absence from an on-site event at Dollywood, Dolly revealed that she had a kidney stone that had given her an infection.
While she later didn't mention the specific reason why she was canceling her Las Vegas dates in her Instagram announcement, her rep confirmed in October 2025 that it was due to the kidney stones.
"It's just the kidney stones, and the procedure she needs to resolve those," Rowland told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "It looks like her sister posted, and it got quite a bit blown out of proportion, weirdly."
Freida alarmed some fans on Oct. 7, when she posted a Facebook message asking them to pray for her sister.
"Many of you know she hasn't been feeling her best lately," she wrote. "I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been lead to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me. She's strong, she's loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she's going to be just fine. Godspeed,my sissy Dolly. We all love you!"
Later that day, Freida shared in another post that she didn't intend to make the singer's condition "sound so serious," and that "it was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister."
Dolly's other sister, Stella Parton, also posted on Facebook about Dolly's condition, emphasizing that the singer was merely "seeking treatment for kidney stones."
She also addressed the criticism she received for not posting about the singer's health.
"Those of you who feel the need to attack or insult me because I don't serve as your information booth you aren't really fans," she wrote, adding that she was grateful to people with "sincere concerns on Dolly's behalf."
In her post announcing the new dates for her Las Vegas residency, Dolly shared that while she was well enough to work on all of her projects in Nashville, she "need[s] a little time to get the show ready."
"In all seriousness, given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see," the "Jolene" singer wrote. "You see good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you."
Dolly also urged her fans not to worry about her "quittin' the business."
"God hasn't said anything about stopping yet," she continued. "But, I believe He is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you."
A day after Freida's Facebook post, Dolly posted her own response on Instagram, jokingly captioning the video, "I ain't dead yet!"
She shared that she was on set doing commercials for the Grand Ole Opry, noting that "lately everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am."
"Do I look sick to you? I'm working hard here! Anyway, I wanted to put everybody's mind at ease, those of you that seem to be real concerned, which I appreciate," she said. "I appreciate your prayers,'cause I'm a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything. But I want you to know that I'm okay."
Dolly went on to add that after her husband, Carl Dean, died in March, she neglected her own health and is now taking care of necessary medical procedures that require her to be closer to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she's been receiving treatment.
"There's just a lot of rumors flying around," she said,"but I figured if you heard it from me,you'd know that I was okay."
"So anyhow,that's what I wanted to say and I'm not ready to die yet.I don't think God is through with me and I ain't done working.So I love you for caring and keep praying for me."