Dolly Parton has had fans worried about her the past year while she deals with ongoing health issues, but she looked happy and healthy on Wednesday during a surprise appearance.
The 80-year-old turned up at the opening ceremony of Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tenn, to cut the ribbon, one month after she announced she was canceling her Las Vegas residency.
The new truck destination along Interstate 65 is described as "Where Southern hospitality meets the open road," and features the DLY BBQ restaurant and Cup Of Ambition coffee, a nod to the lyrics from her hit 1980 song "9 to 5."
Dolly's appearance at the ceremony was a shock to fans, as earlier promotional materials stated that she would not attend.
The country superstar looked in great spirits and arrived in a blue and pink outfit with fringe detailing and stiletto heels – she even used a pair of bedazzled pink scissors to cut the ribbon before she was showered in multicolored confetti featuring her signature butterfly.
Addressing the excited crowd, Dolly said: "I'm sure some of you want to know why I wanted a truck stop," adding: "Well, I couldn't leave it to beavers," referring to the mascot of her competitor, Buc-ee's, a chain of travel centers.
Dolly later shared a message on her travel stops official Instagram account, writing: "Well, the doors are open and I could not be prouder. Whether you are hauling loads, hauling the family, or just passing through, we built this place for you.
"Good food, real rest, a little music, and people who are genuinely glad you stopped in…that's what the road has always deserved, and that is what you will find here. Welcome home."
How Dolly's health affected her Las Vegas residency
Her appearance comes after she announced on May 4, 2026, that her Vegas residency had been canceled.
Dolly opened up about the extent of her health problems in a lengthy video and revealed that she would be canceling her residency to give herself more time to recover and revitalize herself.
© Getty Images"Well hey there, it's Dolly, and I am here to give you an update on a few things going on in my life. First, it's concerning my health, and I have some good news and a little bad news," she started.
She explained that she's currently on "meds and treatments" and is responding quite well to them, but as for the "bad news," she phrased them in more comic terms, comparing herself mostly to a car by saying: "My transmission is slipping, my oil pan is leaking and my muffler's busted; and my shocks and pistons need to be replaced."
© Getty ImagesAs Dolly put it, she was feeling "swimmy-headed," quoting a phrase her grandmother would use to denote that she would get dizzy and easily fatigued with too much exertion.
While also noting that she frequently passed kidney stones as well, she added: "But seriously, my immune system and my digestive system got all out of whack over the past couple of three years, and they're working real hard on rebuilding and strengthening those. And hopefully I'll be up to snuff again soon."
