06/27/2026
Dolly Parton is back in the spotlight after recently sharing an update on her health.
The country music icon appeared in Cornersville, Tennessee, on Wednesday for the grand opening of her new Tennessean Travel Stop, a project that combines fuel services, shopping, food options, and entertainment inspired by the singer’s larger-than-life personality.
Parton arrived at the event wearing a blue-and-pink fringe outfit paired with her signature high heels.
“I’m sure some of you are wondering why I wanted a truck stop. Well, I couldn’t leave it to beavers,” Parton joked, drawing laughs from the crowd.
She later downplayed any notion of a rivalry with the popular chain.
“I had to throw my scrawny little self in there,” Parton said. “We’re not trying to compete with anybody. We don’t think we’ll have to. We think we’re going to have everything that you want or need.”
The new travel stop features Dolly-themed merchandise and attractions, making the singer the unofficial face of the destination.
The appearance comes weeks after Parton revealed she was stepping back from performing as she continues to recover from health issues. Earlier this year, she canceled her planned Las Vegas residency and shared an update with fans in a May 4 Instagram post.
“Thank you for standing by me and showing me so much love and support over the past year,” Parton wrote in the caption. “I’ve still got some healing to do, but I am on my way! See you soon.”
In the accompanying video, the 80-year-old singer explained that while her condition was improving, she was not yet ready to return to the stage.
“Well, hey there, it’s Dolly, and I’m here to give you an update on a few things going on in my life,” she said. “First, it’s concerning my health— and I have some good news and a little bad news. But the good news is I’m responding really well to meds and treatments, and I’m improving every day.”
Parton added that recovery would take time because some of her treatments affect how she feels.
“Now, the bad news is that it’s gonna take me a little while before I’m up to stage performance level because some of the meds and treatments make me a little swimmy-headed, as my grandma used to say,” she said.
