Dolly Parton Isn't 'Dwelling' on Her Age Ahead of 80th Birthday Despite Recent Health Complications: 'I Feel Like I'm Just Getting Started'

Dolly Parton has no plans to slow down despite turning 80 in January 2026.

Though she was recently forced to postpone a string of Las Vegas residency shows in December due to a kidney infection, her age is never something she thinks about.

"People say, ‘Well, you’re going to be 80 years old.’ Well, so what?" Partion, 79, questioned. "Look at all I’ve done in 80 years. I feel like I’m just getting started."

"I know that sounds stupid, but unless my health gives way, which right now I seem to be doing fine... I think there’s a lot to be said about age," the blonde bombshell continued in a new interview, which took place prior to her kidney complication. "If you allow yourself to get old, you will. I say, ‘I ain’t got time to get old!’ I ain’t got time to dwell on that. That’s not what I’m thinking about."

Rumors about the Grammy winner's condition swirled after her sister asked for prayers following the concert cancelations.

"Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly," Freida Parton wrote on Facebook at the time. "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."

As fans began to panic, Freida made a follow-up post to clarify the situation.

"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," she explained. "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."

The "9 to 5" vocalist then posted an Instagram video to calm everyone's concerns.

Dolly cheekily captioned her post, "I ain't dead yet."

"Do I look sick to you?" she asked in the clip. "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," spilled the country crooner. "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."

The actress revealed her illness began when her husband, Carl Dean, was dealing with a sickness "for a long time."

"And then when he passed, I didn’t take care of myself, so I let a lot of things go that I should’ve been taking care of," Dolly confessed. "So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said, we need to take care of this. We need to take care of that.

She assured the public it was "nothing major," detailing, "I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home, closer to Vanderbilt [University Medical Center], where I’m kind of having a few treatments here and there, but I wanted you to know that I’m not dying."