Dolly Parton, 77, reveals the real reason she's stepping away from touring

By Sam Joseph Simon for Dailymail.com

19:38 16 October 2023, updated 19:41 16 October 2023

Dolly Parton has finally revealed the real reason behind her decision to retire from touring.

In October last year, the country icon shocked her fans when she announced her retirement from touring, saying: “I don’t think I’ll ever tour again.”

This came as a surprise to many, as she once said that she would “rather die on stage” than retire.

However, while the 77-year-old country music legend insisted she would not be giving up her job completely, she did say Good housekeeping She doesn’t want to leave her husband, Carl Dean, alone for a long period of time.

The hitmaker, who recently spoke about her eclectic sense of style, told the media: “I’m not touring anymore. I have a lot of commercial things that I do. My husband and I are getting older… and I kind of need to be with him.”

Parton added that performers have to “commit to it.” [touring]. And I’ve done that all my life.

However, the Jolene singer stated that she never thought that giving up her music career was a viable option.

Taking a step back: Dolly Parton will never tour again after retiring from the road to spend more time with her husband, Carl Dean; Seen in 2014

“Maybe I’ll take off a month instead of a week, but no, I don’t plan on ever retiring,” she said.

Parton stated that she would not stop performing unless “my husband is sick and really needs me, or I am sick, which are the only two reasons I would quit.”

The Grammy Award-winning actress added that she hopes it “never happens.”

The hitmaker and her husband met in a Nashville laundromat in 1964, and married two years later.

The Silver Dagger singer’s wife has become known for staying out of the public eye, although she has shared several photos of him on her social media in the past.

Parton last hit the road on her Pure and Simple tour, which consisted of 65 shows in North America during 2016 and 2017.

The singer has since released three studio albums, and her upcoming 49th studio album Rockstar is set to debut on November 17.

The artist revealed that she was planning to step away from the tour during an interview with Polestar This was last October, although she expressed that she was still open to the idea of holding one-off concerts on special occasions.

Devoted Wife: The 77-year-old country music legend insisted she wouldn’t give up her job completely, but told Good Housekeeping she doesn’t want to leave her husband of more than five decades alone for long periods of time.

Conditions: Parton stated that she would only stop performing if “my husband was sick and really needed me, or I was sick, which would be the only two reasons I would ever leave.”

In the past: Parton last hit the road on her Pure and Simple tour, which consisted of 65 shows in North America during 2016 and 2017; Seen in 2019

Making it known: The artist revealed that she was planning to step away from touring during an interview with Pollstar last October, though she expressed that she was still open to the idea of playing one-off concerts on special occasions; Seen in 2016

“I’ll do specials here and there, every now and then,” Parton stated. Maybe a long weekend of shows or just a few shows at the festival. But I have no intention of doing a full tour anymore.

The hitmaker also noted that she was planning to spend more time with her husband instead of being on the road.

The singer said she likes to “stay close to home with my husband.” We’re getting older now, and I don’t want to be gone for four or five weeks at a time. Something could happen.

I wouldn’t feel good about it, if I went and someone needed me. “Or I would feel bad if I had to leave the tour if someone at home got sick and needed me and then I had to go out for the fans,” she added.