Dolly Parton sparks fears of burnout with packed schedule for 2025 when she turns 79
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Country music icon Dolly Parton has her loved ones concerned as she refuses to slow down and take a break from work, Radar Online reported on Friday, January 10.
The singer with 11 Grammy awards is set to turn 79 on January 19. However, she has been keeping especially busy with the promotional trail of her latest album, 'Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables'.
As Parton prepares for an upcoming tour later this year, her friends claim that they "can't remember" the last time the singer took a break.
Insider reveals Dolly Parton may soon risk 'burnout'
A source shared with Radar that Dolly Parton's friends were concerned about her workload and felt she should be spending more time at home with her husband, the reclusive Carl Dean.
While Parton had recently stated in an interview that she would "definitely pull way back" if Dean was "in ill health or needed her," the situation has not arisen yet.
"People can't remember the last time she took a vacation, and the feeling is she needs to give herself a break," the insider told the publication. "She can't quit performing and feels she owes it to her fans," they said.
Parton's work extends beyond singing as she leads a massive business empire. It includes the Dollywood theme park and the Dollywood HeartSong Lodge & Resort. She also manages multiple product lines and works as a TV producer. The star further plans to put up a Broadway musical based on her life in 2026 and is overseeing its casting.
"Dolly is on the phone and taking meetings around the clock," continued the source before stating, "She's got Dollywood to run and all her other business ventures, from her publishing company to fragrance line - and she's still thinking up new endeavors that take a lot of her time and energy."
"The fear is if Dolly doesn't slow down and start to delegate more responsibilities she'll burn out and no one wants that," they added.
Dolly Parton states she had no plans of retiring
Dolly Parton had expressed in multiple interviews that she did not plan to slow down her work any time soon, telling the Guardian in October 2024, "Oh, my Lord, I can't retire."
"I'm not one to sit around doing nothing. I'll just hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song on stage someday. Hopefully, one I've written," she stated in another radio interview.
While not engaged professionally, Parton shared that she enjoyed doing "simple things" with her husband in their Tennessee home.
"I don't go out that much and just live a simple life actually. I look like a party doll, but I'm pretty much a homebody when I'm not working; I love to be at home. I love to cook and read, and do piddly things around the house, womanly things," she revealed to Hello!
"My husband and I have always enjoyed each other. I love to do stuff with him; we have a little RV and like to travel around, especially in Tennessee — we love to get out just for the weekend or day trips. We've been all over the country in it," she continued.
"He's never liked going out to dinner and all that stuff. And although I love to go out with friends to a nice dinner and have fun, it just felt natural to me to keep my life private," added the star.
