Dolly Parton Makes First Public Appearance After Canceling Las Vegas Residency

On Wednesday, Dolly Parton stepped out for her first public appearance since canceling her Las Vegas residency for health reasons.

Parton was on hand to celebrate the grand opening of her new roadside rest stop Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee. 

During her surprise appearance, she told guests, "Well, the doors are open and I could not be prouder. Whether you are hauling loads, hauling the family, or just passing through, we built this place for you. Good food, real rest, a little music, and people who are genuinely glad you stopped in…that’s what the road has always deserved, and that is what you will find here. Welcome home.” 

Dolly also joined Danny Nozell and Gregory H. Sachs for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Sachs, who is a partner of the hotel, shared, "I am proud to open the doors on the flagship location of Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop right here in the town I call home, Cornersville, Tennessee. When I approached Dolly's manager, Danny Nozell, and shared the idea, Dolly and her team loved it right away. Her years of life on the road gave her a real understanding of what was missing out there, and she saw the chance to turn ordinary travel stops into a place built on Tennessee hospitality, worth stopping for, not just stopping at. Pairing the history this landmark location has with Dolly’s spirit establishes a high benchmark for our future locations.”

According to the rest stop’s website, it will have a restaurant, gas station, a dog park, and even showers!

In May, Dolly gave a health update, saying, “The good news is I’m responding really well to meds and treatments and I’m improving every day.” 

Parton revealed that one point her immune system and digestive system “got all out of whack” over the past few years and doctors are “working real hard on rebuilding and strengthening those.” 

Dolly insisted that she was still keeping busy, despite her health.