By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton has canceled her previously postponed Las Vegas residency due to health challenges that leave her feeling “swimmy headed” — but has assured fans her ailments are treatable.
“The good news is I’m responding really well to meds and treatments and I’m improving every day,” the 80-year-old country superstar said in a short video posted to her official Instagram account. “Now the bad news is, it’s going to take me a little while before I’m up to stage-performance level because some of the meds and treatments make me a lit bit swimmy headed, as my grandma used to say.”
“And of course, I can’t be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars, and such on five-inch heels — and you know that I’m going to be wearing them,” she joked. “Not to mention, all those heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair, my big … uh, personality. Lord, those — that would make anybody swimmy headed!”
She didn’t share too many details about her health but clarified that she’s always “had problems with my kidney stones,” and that her immune system and digestive system “got all out of whack over the past couple three years and they’re working real hard on rebuilding and strengthening those.”
She also clarified that her doctors have assured her “that everything I have is treatable, so I’m going with that.”
She said that she is still working on opening her museum and hotel in Nashville as well as her forthcoming Broadway musical, “Dolly: A True Original Musical,” opening in New York later this year.
Parton’s previous health challenges
In September, Parton announced her first Las Vegas residency in 32 years was going to be postponed due to “health challenges.” She was scheduled to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for “Dolly: Live in Las Vegas” in December, overlapping with the National Finals Rodeo. Her dates were moved to this September, before being canceled on Monday.
“Don’t worry about me quittin’ the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet,” she said at the time of the postponement. “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.”
Last September, Parton also was unable to attend the announcement of a new ride at her Tennessee theme park Dollywood due to health issues. “I had a kidney stone that was causing me a lot of problems, turned out it’d given me an infection, and the doctor said, ‘You don’t need to be traveling right this minute, so you need a few days to get better,'” Parton said in a video announcement at the time.
The following month, Parton posted a video to social media joking that she “ain’t dead yet,” following public speculation about her health.
“There are just a lot of rumors flying around. But I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was OK,” she said in a two-minute video posted on Instagram. “I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me. And I ain’t done working.”
Parton performs on occasion but hasn’t toured since her “Pure & Simple Tour” ended in 2016.
A representative directed The Associated Press’ back to Parton’s video message when asked for comment.