Dolly Parton fans (so, everyone), brace yourselves – we have some tough news for you to swallow.
The iconic country superstar has revealed that she’s all but given up touring. That’s right. She’s still working 9 to 5 producing a new rock album inspired by her husband, the elusive Carl Dean, but she won’t be hitting the road anytime soon.
While promoting her forthcoming rock album and coffee table book, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, Dolly touched on the gruelling schedules stars go through – and revealed it’s behind her reason for giving up touring.
“It’s always been taxing, the reason I don’t tour now is because I don’t want to be that far away from home, we’re getting older and I’ve got a lot of business that I do and the movies that I do.”
“So we’re close to home and I just really do prepare, just like coming over for this, we had a band and before I had to cancel once – my husband was sick at the time but he’s fine now but you do plan and I do not plan to tour at this time.”
Dolly’s last major tour took place in 2016, when she hit the road with her Pure and Simple Tour, which saw her perform in more than 60 cities across the United States and Canada.
She’s not averse to the occasional one-off, too.
In 2014, the I Will Always Love You icon traveled to the United Kingdom to put on a record-breaking performance at the annual Glastonbury Festival.
While she might be dialling back on the touring, she’s not giving up on her work – or proving she’s still got some fight in her, breaking one of her oldest rules with a new fiery, political song.
Dolly’s comments came as the latest news on Madonna was brought up, after the relentless Queen of Pop was rushed to hospital with a bacterial infection.
Madonna is famous for being rigorous in her exercise and touring regime, but it’s thought the singer had exhausted herself in preparation for her own upcoming world tour.
While Madonna has only slowed down after a visit to the ICU, Dolly shared her own take on exercise – and, of course, it was super relatable.
She said, “I hate exercise like I hated school, I do all my hard work now, but I try and diet the best I can and I do the low carb but if I see something I really want I’m gonna eat it.”
Words to live by, Ms Dolly!
However, she’s not afraid of breaking a sweat. “Because I’m so little but I still have a farmer’s appetite. I do what I have to do, I do my daily squats.”
Those squats might be why the legend, now 77, didn’t think twice about slipping back into a Playboy costume she first wore in 1978.
