Dolly Parton cancels Las Vegas residency, citing kidney stones and lingering health issues

Key facts

• Dolly Parton, 80, canceled her six-date Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum Theatre at Caesars Palace.
• The residency was originally postponed from December 2025 to September 2026 due to health challenges.
• Parton said she is dealing with kidney stones and other treatable issues.
• She stated in a video message that medication leaves her too lightheaded to perform safely.
• Parton has won 10 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
• She is working on a Broadway musical titled 'Dolly: A True Original Musical'.
• Parton plans to open a museum and a hotel in Nashville later this year.
• Her last Las Vegas residency was in the 1990s alongside Kenny Rogers.

A star’s health setback

Dolly Parton has cancelled her upcoming Las Vegas residency as she undergoes treatment for health issues, including a longtime struggle with kidney stones. In a statement posted on social media, the 80-year-old country music icon said she has been 'responding really well to meds and treatments' and is 'improving every day,' but acknowledged she is not yet ready to return to the stage. Parton had already postponed the six-date run at The Colosseum Theatre at Caesars Palace from December 2025 to September 2026 to address what she called 'health challenges.' Now she has scrapped the engagement entirely, telling fans in a video message that she 'can't be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars and such on 5-inch heels.'

The toll of rhinestones and high heels

Speaking with her characteristic upbeat tone, Parton joked about the physical demands of her performances, citing 'all those heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair, my big… uh, personality.' She emphasized that the medication she is taking leaves her lightheaded, making it unsafe to perform while wearing her signature high heels and carrying instruments. 'I've still got some healing to do, but I am on my way!' she said in the Monday announcement. The country star added that it will take some time for her to be 'stage-performance ready,' but she remains optimistic about her recovery.

Staying busy offstage

Despite stepping back from live performances, Parton said she is still recording music, making videos, visiting her Dollywood theme park, and working on writing a Broadway musical titled 'Dolly: A True Original Musical.' She also revealed plans to open a museum and a hotel in Nashville later this year, underscoring her relentless creative drive. 'I am truly sorry that I'm going to miss all of you that had tickets to see me in Las Vegas. Well, you get on to Vegas, and you have a big time… And I'll see you somewhere down the line,' she told fans.

A legacy of hits and history

Parton, a musical icon with 10 Grammy Awards and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, is best known for country crossover hits including 'Coat of Many Colors,' 'I Will Always Love You,' '9 to 5,' and 'Jolene.' Her Las Vegas residency would have been her first on the Strip since the 1990s, when she performed alongside Kenny Rogers, her duet partner on 'Islands in the Stream.' That song recently made chart history again: Ella Langley and Morgan Wallen's duet 'I Can't Love You Anymore' became the first song by two country artists sharing lead billing to debut in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in over 40 years — since Rogers and Parton did it with 'Islands in the Stream.'

What comes next

Parton said she is in good hands with her doctors and is focusing on recovery. She continues to work on new projects from home, including her Broadway musical, which she has described as a long-held dream. The cancellation of the Las Vegas residency leaves fans without a scheduled opportunity to see her perform live in the near future. 'Not to mention, all those heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair, my big… uh, personality,' she joked, acknowledging the unique challenges of her stage persona. For now, the country legend is prioritizing her health, promising to return when she is fully healed.

The bottom line

• Dolly Parton canceled her Las Vegas residency due to kidney stones and other health issues, citing dizziness from medication.
• The six-date run at Caesars Palace was originally postponed from December 2025 to September 2026 before being scrapped.
• Parton is still recording music, working on a Broadway musical, and planning a Nashville museum and hotel.
• She last performed a Las Vegas residency in the 1990s with Kenny Rogers.
• Parton has won 10 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
• Fans are advised to visit Las Vegas as planned, with Parton promising to see them 'somewhere down the line.'