{"id":17481,"date":"2026-01-19T12:22:33","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=17481"},"modified":"2026-01-19T12:22:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:22:35","slug":"dolly-parton-turns-80-will-she-retire-what-to-know-about-her-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=17481","title":{"rendered":"Dolly Parton turns 80. Will she retire? What to know about her plans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On Jan. 19, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/news\/2026\/01\/16\/tennessee-declares-jan-19-dolly-parton-day-for-icons-80th-birthday\/88213175007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:queen of country music;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">queen of country music<\/a> celebrates her 80th birthday. But Dolly Parton &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dolly-parton-star-of-the-show-legacy-turning-80-future-exclusive-11847345\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:ain't got time to get old;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">ain&#8217;t got time to get old<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Parton was born Jan. 19, 1946, in a one-room cabin in Sevierville, Tennessee, as the fourth of 12 children.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She began her music career in Knoxville at age 10, and throughout her nearly seven-decade career, she has become one of the most legendary musical artists of all time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong>More: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/news\/2026\/01\/16\/tennessee-declares-jan-19-dolly-parton-day-for-icons-80th-birthday\/88213175007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Tennessee declares Jan. 19 Dolly Parton Day for icon's 80th birthday;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Tennessee declares Jan. 19 Dolly Parton Day for icon&#8217;s 80th birthday<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">After recent health challenges, fans worried Parton might be slowing down or retiring in the not-so-distant future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">But in a <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/dolly-parton-star-of-the-show-legacy-turning-80-future-exclusive-11847345\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:November interview with People;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">November interview with People<\/a>, she assured the world that she isn&#8217;t going anywhere just yet.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">Dolly Parton speaks during a press conference moments before the premiere of &#8220;Dolly Parton&#8217;s Threads: My Songs in Symphony&#8221; at Nashville Symphony Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, March 20, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Here&#8217;s what to know.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">&#8216;I feel like I\u2019m just getting started&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Parton has a long list of accomplishments, accolades and dreams come true.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She&#8217;s a longtime Grand Ole Opry member with more than 950 recorded tracks and nearly 3,000 composed songs. Her classics &#8220;9 to 5,&#8221; &#8220;I Will Always Love You&#8221; and &#8220;Jolene&#8221; are considered cornerstones of the country music canon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She starred in films &#8220;Steel Magnolias&#8221; and\u00a0&#8220;The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She has 25 No. 1 country hits, Grammys, ACM and CMA Awards, membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame, a Dollywood empire and has gifted millions of books worldwide to families in need through her nonprofit, Imagination Library.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cYou know, I have just been going so fast my whole life,\u201d Parton said while discussing the release of her\u00a0new book\u00a0&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/shop.dollyparton.com\/products\/star-of-the-show?srsltid=AfmBOopgVp34PZoOsPArSLLHxVACsLY2U7vV9Qz91Jcd6a16-yEnQ7Ia\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Star of the Show: My Life on Stage;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Star of the Show: My Life on Stage<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cAnd I just start thinking, \u2018How in the world did I even have a life? How did I even get it done?\u2019&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I really realized when I was putting this book together just how much I had sacrificed in my life. I never had children, so at least I didn\u2019t have a guilty feeling. I\u2019m thankful that I got to see my dreams come true.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">And though Parton has been in the entertainment and philanthropy businesses for decades, she says she still has more to do.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cPeople say, \u2018Well, you\u2019re going to be 80 years old.\u2019 Well, so what? Look at all I\u2019ve done in 80 years,&#8221; Parton told People.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I feel like I\u2019m just getting started. I know that sounds stupid, but unless my health gives way, which right now I seem to be doing fine &#8230; I think there\u2019s a lot to be said about age.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;If you allow yourself to get old, you will. I say, \u2018I ain\u2019t got time to get old!\u2019 I ain\u2019t got time to dwell on that. That\u2019s not what I\u2019m thinking about.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">How is Dolly Parton&#8217;s health?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In fall 2025, Parton postponed a handful of concerts in Las Vegas, Nevada due to health challenges following a kidney stone-related infection.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">When Parton&#8217;s sister, Freida Parton, asked people to pray for her sister, fans spiraled into panic over Parton&#8217;s health.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Days later on Oct. 8, Parton addressed her fans in a social media video. &#8220;I ain&#8217;t dead yet!&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Parton explained that the treatments she needed were minimal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cLately everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am. Do I look sick?\u201d Parton said. \u201cI wanted you to know that I\u2019m not dying.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">What&#8217;s next for Dolly Parton?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On Jan. 16, Parton released her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/2026\/01\/13\/dolly-parton-light-of-a-clear-blue-morning\/88159566007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:new rendition of &quot;Light of a Clear Blue Morning,&quot;;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">new rendition of &#8220;Light of a Clear Blue Morning,&#8221;<\/a> featuring Lainey Wilson, Queen Latifah, Miley Cyrus and Reba McEntire.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The proceeds from the song benefit pediatric cancer research at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children\u2019s Hospital at Vanderbilt.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong>More: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/2026\/01\/13\/dolly-parton-light-of-a-clear-blue-morning\/88159566007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:New Dolly Parton release coming with Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus and more;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">New Dolly Parton release coming with Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus and more<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On Jan. 17, the Grand Ole Opry gathered to celebrate Parton&#8217;s 80th birthday with a night of tribute performances from Lainey Wilson, Vince Gill, Rhonda Vincent and others.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DTN0PeCD21n\/?hl=en&amp;img_index=2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:On the Opry's social media;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">On the Opry&#8217;s social media<\/a>, Parton told fans she would not be able to attend, but wished them all \u201cthe best night ever.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cI just wanted to say how much it means to me that you\u2019re all coming together again this year to celebrate my big ol\u2019 birthday,\u201d Parton said. \u201cI wish I could be there in person, but I\u2019ll be sending you all my love for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Dolly Parton performs her current hit &quot;Heartbreaker&quot; during the 12th annual CMA Awards show at the Grand Ole Opry House on Oct. 9, 1978.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1497\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/3e49045641ec0159945a669c899fe0e1.jpeg\" \/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">Dolly Parton performs her current hit &#8220;Heartbreaker&#8221; during the 12th annual CMA Awards show at the Grand Ole Opry House on Oct. 9, 1978.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">And in 2026, Parton&#8217;s got a packed schedule.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She is opening the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/news\/local\/2025\/10\/31\/dolly-parton-nashville-hotel-reservations\/86983496007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:SongTeller Hotel;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">SongTeller Hotel<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/money\/2026\/01\/15\/dolly-parton-nashville-hotel-business-empire-2026\/87673044007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Life of Many Colors Museum;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Life of Many Colors Museum<\/a> in Nashville in June 2026. In early summer, Parton will also open Dolly&#8217;s Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Parton&#8217;s multimedia concert experience, &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/2025\/12\/18\/dolly-parton-threads-nashville-symphonies-2026\/87800789007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Threads: My Songs in Symphony;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Threads: My Songs in Symphony<\/a>,&#8221; will tour the U.S. through August 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/2024\/07\/09\/dolly-parton-broadway-musical-director-casting-details\/74329147007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Hello, I'm Dolly\u00a0Musical;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Hello, I&#8217;m Dolly\u00a0Musical<\/a>,&#8221; a new bio-musical telling the story of Parton&#8217;s life, will open on Broadway this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Parton wrote the music and co-wrote the book for the musical, which had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/2025\/01\/28\/dolly-parton-broadway-musical-belmont-university-premiere\/77972001007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:a limited run in Nashville;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">a limited run in Nashville<\/a> throughout 2025.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Dolly Parton arrives with director Bartlett Sher for Dolly: A True Original Musical at Belmont University\u2019s The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"642\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/37b67fb2d3a20d6d976bbc9f3702aced.jpeg\" \/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Dolly Parton arrives with director Bartlett Sher for Dolly: A True Original Musical at Belmont University\u2019s The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Parton is also expected to return to the stage in September 2026 to make up her postponed Las Vegas performances.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Parton knows her lifestyle is packed and ambitious. \u201cI\u2019m not trying to outdo anybody except me,&#8221; she told People.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I just want to be my best self at all times and try to improve every day. It wasn\u2019t about just being rich; it was about being successful at what I love to do.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;Dreams nor wishes come true without a lot of hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Audrey Gibbs is a music journalist at The Tennessean. You can reach her at agibbs@tennessean.com. <\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennessean.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/2026\/01\/19\/dolly-parton-80th-birthday-retirement-plans\/88198063007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Dolly Parton celebrates 80th birthday. Will she ever retire?;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Dolly Parton celebrates 80th birthday. Will she ever retire?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\">\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/music\/articles\/dolly-parton-turns-80-she-110209966.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Jan. 19, the queen of country music celebrates her 80th birthday. But Dolly Parton &#8220;ain&#8217;t got time to get old.&#8221; Parton was born Jan. 19, 1946, in a one-room cabin in Sevierville, Tennessee, as the fourth of 12 children. She began her music career in Knoxville at age 10, and throughout her nearly seven-decade &#8230; <a title=\"Dolly Parton turns 80. Will she retire? What to know about her plans\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=17481\" aria-label=\"Read more about Dolly Parton turns 80. Will she retire? What to know about her plans\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Dolly-Parton-turns-80-Will-she-retire-What-to-know.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17481"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17483,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17481\/revisions\/17483"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}