Dolly Parton was hospitalized five days before her death with "kidney and autoimmune issues," according to a report from TMZ. The country music icon was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville on a Thursday night and died at the hospital on Tuesday morning.
Parton, who was 80 at the time of her death, had been open about prior health struggles. In what is described as her final interview on Friday, she told People magazine that she was "dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl," referring to her late husband Carl Dean, who died in March 2025.
Earlier in the week, Parton canceled a planned appearance at her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, after a doctor ordered her not to travel due to ongoing "health issues." In a pre-recorded video shared at the event, Parton explained, "Sometimes I get a little dizzy, and I get dehydrated. And so my Nashville doctor clipped my wings, saying you ain’t traveling this week."
In September of the previous year, Parton had also missed a Dollywood event after suffering from kidney stones. At the time, she told fans that there had been an infection and her doctor advised her against traveling to allow time for recovery.