Dolly Parton Has No Intention Of Retiring And Would Rather 'Drop Dead In The Middle Of A Song Onstage'

Jul 18, 2023

Dolly Parton is a legend in the country music arena and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. Her hits include "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors" and "I Will Always Love You," which topped the US charts twice. Parton started her career as a child and performed at the Grand Ole Opry at 13. 

The "9 to 5" singer has credited her musical talents to her mum's Welsh family, who entertained them with many ballads. Parton left home after finishing high school to chase her dreams of having a music career but initially started working as a songwriter. Some of the songs she wrote during this period became top 10 hits, although she did not perform them. 

Parton signed with the label RCA Victor in 1967 after her singing partner, Porter Wagoner, convinced them to sign her. The two produced many successful songs together. Hence, when Parton was going to leave to pursue a solo career in the 70s, she wrote "I Will Always Love You" to signify her love for her duet partner, who helped her advance in her music career.

The songwriter performed the same song for her longtime friend, Kenny Rogers, in 2017 when he was about to retire from the music scene during his farewell concert. Parton and Rogers released "Islands in the Stream" in the 1980s and continued collaborating on songs years later. 

While many of her contemporaries have retired from music, Parton is not ready to quit and may never do so. In an interview with Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio on July 13, 2023, the iconic songstress disclosed that she has no intention of retiring and would rather die on the stage. Keep reading to get the details of her interview. 

Parton didn't have it easy growing up, which explains her attitude toward work. She was the fourth child in a family of 14, living in very poor conditions. Her illiterate dad was a sharecropper, and the family had to rely on whatever he could make. 

It is, therefore, not surprising how empathetic and generous the music star has grown to be. Through her Dollywood Foundation, which she set up in 1988, Parton has awarded scholarships to many schools and worthy teachers, her old school inclusive. She also set up the Imagination Library in 1995 in honor of her dad and distributes about 1.3 million books to almost two million children in the US every month through it. 

The music legend can afford to be generous because she has made a hefty sum from her music and other business ventures. Although her dad was illiterate, Parton says she owes her business acumen to him. The "Jolene" singer has a net worth estimated to be $650 million. She has published a cookbook, has a record label and has acted in commercially successful movies. 

Thankfully, Parton married a man who doesn't like the spotlight but is content to watch her soar. She met Carl Dean in 1964 when she was 18, and he was 21. The then 18-year-old had just arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, for her music career, and Dean was one of the first people she met. 

Parton has revealed that one of the things that struck her was that he kept his eyes on her face, which was rare as she was a busty teenager. Dean was also impressed by her beauty, and he knew immediately that he wanted to marry her. The duo tied the knot in 1966, and Dean has remained supportive ever since.

Despite her achievements, Parton isn't ready to stop doing what she loves. She got inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 after trying to refuse it. Consequently, Parton felt a moral burden to make a Rock n' Roll album. 

"Rockstar" will be her first rock album and will drop on Nov. 17, 2023. Parton brought together several old friends to work with her for the album, including Miley Cyrus, Elton John, Stevie Nicks, Lizzo and Chris Stapleton. Remarkably, she will also be working with the last two surviving members of The Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. 

The songstress had an interview with Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio on July 13, 2023, to discuss her latest album. While talking, Parton disclosed that she doesn't want to retire and would rather die while performing on stage.

"I would never retire. I'll just hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song onstage someday," she told Bruce. "That's how I hope to go. Of course, we don't have much of a choice in that. But as long as I'm able to work, as long as my health is good and my husband is good. I mean, the only way that I would ever slow down or stop would be for that reason." 

Parton further shared that she is still full of new ideas. 

"I have new dreams every day. I wanna have my own network TV show, where I can actually do a lot of new things and produce," she said. 

Parton added that she wanted to tell her story and show people what they don't know about her yet. She also mentioned that she wants to set up her makeup, wigs and clothes lines, as she admitted she has plenty of opportunities to do so. With everything Parton has in store, her fans are surely in for a swell time.

What do you think of Dolly Parton's story? What do you think about her idea to never retire? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family members and fellow Dolly Parton fans.