After asking for prayers for Dolly Parton, the singer’s sister is now saying she didn’t mean to sound the alarm on the “9 to 5” star’s health.
Freida Parton, the 68-year-old sister of the country music icon, wrote on Facebook Tuesday: “I want to clear something up. I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly.
“She’s been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer,” Freida wrote. “It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister. Thank you all for lifting her up. Your love truly makes a difference.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Freida asked fans to pray for her sister. “Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly,” Freida 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.”
Freida, one of Parton’s 11 siblings and herself a musician, added, “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!”
This is not the first time Parton’s health has made news in recent weeks. On Sept. 28, Parton, who is 79, wrote on Instagram that her series of concerts originally scheduled for December 2025 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas would be postponed until September 2026.
“As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures,” the “Jolene” songstress said in her message.
Parton said she joked with her doctors about needing her “100,000-mile check-up,” noting that “it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon.” Due to the unnamed procedures, she wrote, she would not be able to rehearse and put together the show that fans deserved to see.
For those concerned about Parton retiring, she said they didn’t need to worry about her “quittin’ the business” because “God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet.”
“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,” she concluded her message, which also appeared on her website. “I love you and thank you for understanding.”
Earlier in September, Parton missed an event at her theme park, Dollywood, instead appearing virtually to share that she had developed an infection caused by a kidney stone and was advised not to travel.
“I was looking so forward to it,” she said in the message. “But I’m there with you in spirit.”
Parton’s last Instagram post was shared on Oct. 2. In it, the singer is shoveling a pile of hay. She captioned the photo, “Hay there, it’s October!”
