Dolly Parton’s sister has clarified her comments after she asked for prayers regarding the country star’s health.
Freida Parton, a younger sister of the singer, said she wanted to “clear something up” in a Facebook post on Oct. 7.
“I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly,” she said. “She’s been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer. It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister.”
She thanked her followers for lifting her sister up, adding, “Your love truly makes a difference.”
Representatives for Dolly Parton did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.
Freida Parton’s comments come less than 12 hours after she asked her followers in a separate Facebook post to pray for her older sister because she said Dolly Parton wasn’t feeling well.
“Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly. Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been lead to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me,” she wrote.
“She’s strong, she’s loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she’s going to be just fine,” she continued. “Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!”
Last month, Dolly Parton announced she would be postponing her upcoming performances in Las Vegas due to “health challenges.”
The country icon said in a Sept. 28 statement posted on Instagram her doctors told her she would need to have “a few procedures,” without specifying what kind.
“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!” she wrote. “In all seriousness, given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see. You pay good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you.”
Dolly Parton added she will be able to work on the rest of her projects from her home in Nashville, Tennessee, and that she just needs more time to “get show ready.”
“And don’t worry about me quittin’ the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet,” she said. “But, I believe He is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you.”
She thanked her followers for understanding and said she loved them. Her performances in Las Vegas were originally scheduled for December and have been rescheduled for September 2026.
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