Additional Coverage:
- Dolly Parton on turning 80: ‘So what?’ (usatoday.com)
Dolly Parton: “I Ain’t Got Time to Get Old!”
Dolly Parton, the beloved music icon, is gearing up to celebrate her 80th birthday in January, but don’t expect her to be slowing down anytime soon. In a recent interview excerpt from her upcoming People magazine cover story, Parton shared her signature good-natured humor about approaching octogenarian status.
“Everybody says, ‘Well, you’re going to be 80 years old.’ Well, so what?”
she quipped during the sit-down. “Look at all I’ve done in 80 years.
I feel like I’m just getting started.”
The “Jolene” songstress continued, emphasizing her vibrant outlook: “I know that sounds stupid, but I think there’s a lot to be said about age. If you allow yourself to get old, you will.
I say, ‘I ain’t got time to get old!’ I ain’t got time to dwell on that.
That’s not what I’m thinking about.”
However, Parton did acknowledge a sense of accomplishment, stating, “There is a celebration in the fact that I have done so much in that time and that I’m still doing it. I’m grateful for that.”
The interview took place before Parton announced the postponement of her Las Vegas concerts due to needing “a few procedures.” She later reassured fans on social media that despite undergoing “a few treatments,” she was still “working hard.”
Reflecting on Loss: Carl Dean’s Passing
Parton also opened up about a more somber topic: the loss of her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean, in March. She spoke reflectively about keeping his memory alive.
“Of course that’s the hardest loss that anyone could ever have – to lose the one you love the most,” she shared with People.
Interestingly, her autobiographical stage production, “Dolly: A True Original Musical,” has offered a unique form of solace in her grieving process.
“When I watch the show, it’s healing in its way. It’s almost like he’s never gone.
So now he’ll always be here, not just for me but in the minds of other people,” Parton explained. “Just seeing all those points in my life and how that has affected me, it’s been healing in a way.
But it’s made my appreciate my life and all the people more.” She concluded, “He will always be in my heart and in my memories.”
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- Dolly Parton on turning 80: ‘So what?’ (usatoday.com)