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Country music icon Dolly Parton missed the opening of Dollywood's latest attraction, NightFlight Expedition, on Friday after her doctor advised her not to travel amid ongoing health issues.
According to Deadline, the 11-time Grammy winner virtually addressed guests at the dedication ceremony, telling Dollywood President Eugene Naughton that she was unable to attend the Tennessee theme park as planned. "Well, hey Eugene. I am right here... Well, kind of. Sorta," Parton said in a pre-recorded video shared by the Knoxville News Sentinel. "I am still in Nashville, and I am sorry about that. I was supposed to be there in person like I planned," she said, as quoted by Deadline. Parton said she had previously spoken to fans about experiencing health issues, including dizziness and dehydration. "Now, I have told you before, all my fans, that I have had a few little health issues. And sometimes, I get a little dizzy and I get dehydrated, and I am dehydrated," she said. She added that her Nashville doctor had advised her against travelling that week. "And so, my Nashville doctor has kinda clipped my wings, saying, 'You ain't traveling this week.' So I guess, if your doctor tells you, 'you ain't traveling this week,' you ain't traveling this week," Parton said, adding, "But I like to keep all of you in the loop, like I said I would, on everything," as quoted by Deadline. Despite missing the event in person, Parton praised NightFlight Expedition and encouraged guests to enjoy the new attraction. Raving about the "great new ride," she told those attending the ceremony, "You have fun, and I'm gonna see you down the road." Parton's latest absence comes after she postponed her Las Vegas residency in September 2025 because of "health challenges". In May 2026, she cancelled the planned stint while undergoing "meds and treatments" for her condition, as per Deadline. Her ongoing health issues follow the death of her husband, Carl Dean, on March 3, 2025. The couple had been married for nearly 60 years. (ANI)
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