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Dolly Parton has cancelled her upcoming Las Vegas shows while opening up about her health, telling fans she is improving but not yet ready to return to the stage.
In a video shared on May 4, the 80-year-old singer said she wanted to update fans on what has been happening behind the scenes. "I am here to give you an update on a few things going on in my life," she said, before explaining that there was "some good news and a little bad news."
Parton said her condition is getting better. "The good news is I'm responding really well to meds and treatments and I'm improving every day," she said.
However, she made it clear that recovery is still ongoing. "The bad news is, it's gonna take me a little while before I'm up to stage performance level," she added, noting that some of the medication leaves her feeling "a little bit swimmy headed."
Because of this, she confirmed she will no longer go ahead with her Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace, which had already been postponed once. "I am truly sorry that I'm going to miss all of you that had tickets to see me in Las Vegas," she said.
Parton has been dealing with a series of health issues over the past year, including complications linked to kidney stones that affected her immune and digestive systems. At one point, she described her condition in her own words, saying it felt like her "immune system and digestive system [were] all out of whack."
"Think of me as like an old classic car that once restored can be better than ever," she said. "But when they raised the hood on this old antique, they realized that I need to rebuild my engine, and that my transmission is slipping, my oil pan is leaking, and my muffler is busted, and my shocks and pistons need to be replaced, and for sure, my spark plugs need to be changed. Because, you know, as well as I know, that I can't lose my spark."
Despite the setbacks, she struck a hopeful tone. "I have great doctors, and I'm doing really well, and they assure me that everything I have is treatable," she said.
For now, she says she is focused on recovery, thanking fans for their support during a difficult period.
