Dolly Parton will not be there to celebrate her 80th birthday at the Grand Ole Opry.
The “9 to 5” singer, who turns 80 on Jan. 19, announced on Instagram Thursday that she will miss the venue’s birthday party, which is scheduled to take place Jan. 17 in Nashville. Opry members Lainey Wilson, Vince Gill, Rhonda Vincent and composer Trannie Anderson will take the stage in his honor.
“Well, hello Grand Ole Opry family,” Parton said in a video posted to the Opry page. “I just wanted to tell you how much it means to me that you guys are coming together again this year to celebrate my big birthday with some of my songs.”
She continued, “Some of my favorite memories happened right here on stage at the Grand Ole Opry, and I wish I could be there in person, but I’ll definitely send you all my love. So have the best night ever.”
The Grand Ole Opry account addressed Parton’s absence in the comments section of the post, writing, “While Dolly won’t be able to attend in person, we look forward to honoring her through song and fun all day long.” The venue said the event will include birthday party cupcakes, “Dolly-themed” drink specials, a “larger-than-life birthday card for fans to sign” and tributes dedicated to the country singer.
Parton’s announcement comes just months after the “Jolene” singer postponed her Las Vegas concerts from December to September 2026 and was unable to attend last year’s Governors Awards gala on Nov. 16, where she received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
The 79-year-old, who was scheduled to perform a series of six concerts at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, announced in September 2025 that the residency would be postponed due to “health concerns.”
“I want fans and audiences to hear directly from me that, unfortunately, I will have to postpone my upcoming concerts in Las Vegas,” she wrote at the time. “As many of you know, I have some health issues and my doctors are telling me I need to have a few procedures. As I was joking with them, it must be time for my 100,000 checkup, even though it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”
She continued, “Seriously, given this, I’m not going to be able to rehearse and put on the show that I want you to see and the show that you deserve to see. You’re paying a lot of money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you. While I’ll still be able to work on all my projects from here to Nashville, I just need a little time to prepare for the show, as they say. And don’t worry if I leave the company because God didn’t say it. I have nothing to say about stopping but I believe He is telling me to slow down now so I can be ready for more great adventures with you all.
