Trending Now: Dolly Parton to miss 80th birthday celebration at Grand Ole Opry – Fans React

Dolly Parton’s revelation that she won’t be attending her upcoming birthday celebration at the Grand Ole Opry is not unexpected.

“She never had plans to attend,” a rep for the singer, actress, and philanthropist tells Entertainment Weekly. “If she were going to attend, then the Opry would have promoted that.”

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The historic Nashville, Tenn., venue will mark Parton’s special day — she turns 80 on Jan. 19 — for the fourth year in a row on Jan. 17. Lainey Wilson, Vince Gill, Rhonda Vincent, Trannie Anderson, and other artists will be part of the event. (Tickets are still available.)

Parton herself will not be, however, as she said in a recent clip posted to the official Opry account.

“I just wanted to say how much it means to me that you’re all coming together again this year to celebrate my big old birthday with some of my songs.” she said cheerfully. “Some of my favorite memories happened right here, onstage at the Grand Ole Opry. I wish I could be there in person, but I’ll be sending you all my love for sure, so you have the best night ever.”

Fans of the “Here You Come Again” singer have shown concern for her in recent months, after her September announcement that she would postpone a six-night engagement, “Dolly: Live in Las Vegas,” which had been set for December 2025 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. She maintained her usual sense of humor in her announcement.

“As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures,” Parton wrote. “As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”

Alarm grew the following month after Parton’s sister, Freida, requested prayers for the icon. Although, she later clarified that she hadn’t meant “to scare anyone or make it sound so serious.”

It prompted Parton herself to reassure her worried supporters that she was OK.

“I wanted to say I know lately everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard here,” Parton said. “I wanted to put everybody’s mind at ease, those of you that seemed to be real concerned, which I appreciate and I appreciate your prayers ’cause I’m a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything. But I want you to know that I’m okay.”

The singer missed a major honorary ceremony for her theme park, Dollywood, over “a few health challenges” in November. Doctors wanted her to “take it easy for just a little while,” she said at the time.

But she later appeared in a Thanksgiving video to tell fans that she was “thankful” and would always love them.