Prayers are going up for country music superstar Dolly Parton as concerns about her health have left fans worried. After a year that has already taken legends like Assata Shakur, Roberta Flack and Malcolm Jamal Warner from us, Black internet has stated loud and clear that they are not ready to let the “9 to 5” singer go. Black folks love Dolly for her authenticity, her outspoken support for various communities, and her incredible talent that transcends genres and demographics. Her generous spirit and down-to-earth persona have endeared her to many, especially us.
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Black internet has stated loud and clear that they are not ready to let the “9 to 5” singer go.
“If we lose Dolly Parton too I’m skipping the rest of this year,” wrote someone on TikTok.
Another Black fan took to TikTok to warn the Devil to let go of his country queen.
“You take your hands off of Dolly Parton. Leave her alone in the name of Jesus,” he said.
Comedian Dulce Sloan said a prayer for Parton, asking the Lord to pass over her home and protect her.
“Lord, we can’t lose one of the good whites,” she said on TikTok.
Fans first started to worry when the Queen of country announced she was postponing shows in Las Vegas due to health reasons.
“As many of you know, I’ve been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures,” she wrote in a September 28 Instagram post.
Then, Parton’s sister, Freida, got people even more riled up when she asked fans to pray for her big sister.
“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 in an Oct. 7 post.
But now, the country singer is speaking out and telling anyone who might be planning her funeral to pump the brakes. Parton wrote, “I ain’t dead yet,” on an Oct. 8 social media post, along with a video message for fans who are wondering where she’s been.
In the video, Parton said she’s been taping commercials for the Grand Ole Opry but wanted to take time to address people’s concerns.
“Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard here,” she asked. “I wanted to put everyone’s mind at ease, those that seemed to be real concerned. I wanted you to know that I’m ok.”
Dolly went on to explain that when Carl Dean (her husband of nearly 60 years who passed away in March), was sick, she didn’t do the best job of taking care of herself. But now, she says she’s taking the time now to focus on her health. In mid-September, she suffered an infection related to a kidney stone.
For her part, Frieda Parton did apologize for making fans worry that the end was near for Dolly.
“I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly,” she wrote on Facebook.
Now that fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief that we aren’t about lose a music legend, one TikToker posted a hilarious skit of how Parton must have felt when she woke up to messages of condolences from fans.
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