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Dolly Parton Says She’ll Perform Until She ‘Drops Dead in the Middle of a Song Onstage’

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Dolly Parton.
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Don't expect Dolly Parton to start gardening or golfing any time soon. The 77-year-old singer-songwriter recently expressed that she has no interest in retiring...ever.

Parton was a recent guest on the Greatest Hits Radio show, where she discussed everything from her new album, Rockstar, to a forthcoming book about her life. It was during this chat that the “Jolene” singer said she would rather “drop dead” than retire from music.

“I would never retire,” the Tennessee native declared. “I’ll just hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song onstage someday. 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. But in the meantime, I'm gonna make hay while the sun shines.”

During the interview, Parton detailed her tireless work ethic, explaining how she always finds new inspiration. “Every dream kind of spawns another dream,” she said. “You can branch off of almost anything that happens and make a business of that as well. So it’s kind of like a tree with good roots—it’s got a lot of limbs and it’s also got a lot of leaves. So, why not make the most of it? And I’m not one to sit around and do nothing.”

Of course, Parton isn't slowing down any time soon. Her forty-ninth studio album, Rockstar, is scheduled for release on November 17. The project will include guest appearances from stars like Sting and Chris Stapleton.

Just last month, it was announced that the “9 to 5” singer had earned three new Guinness World Records, bringing her grand total to ten. The new titles included: Longest span of No. 1 hits on the U.S. Top Country Albums chart for a female artist, most studio albums released by a female country singer and most top ten entries on the U.S. Top Country Albums chart for a female artist.

parton hero
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We certainly don't wanna see you retire any time soon, Dolly.

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Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

Joel is the former Associate Editor for News & Entertainment and has been reporting on all things pop culture for over 5 years. Before working at PureWow, he served as a Features Editor at ROCKET Magazine. When he's not dissecting the latest trends in entertainment (or guiding you on what to watch), he covers all the hottest red carpet looks and fashion movements. When he steps away from the keyboard, you can likely find him at an NYC concert, thrift store or LGBTQ+ bookstore happily perusing the shelves.