Dolly Parton Returns to Dollywood for 2026 Opening Day With Candid Health Update: “I Needed to Build Myself Back Up”

SummaryDolly Parton, 80, appeared at Dollywood’s 41st season Opening Day on March 13 — her first major public appearance since revealing health struggles in late 2025. Parton addressed fans candidly, attributing her time away to grieving late husband Carl Dean, kidney stone complications, and needing to rebuild herself “spiritually, emotionally, and physically.