‘Happy’ Dolly Parton was ‘not in pain’ in one of her final public appearances before death

Dolly Parton appeared upbeat and healthy in her final in-person public appearance just two months before her death.

The country music icon — who died Tuesday at age 80 — attended the Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop ribbon-cutting ceremony outside the Cornersville, Tennessee, store on June 24.

Nashville concert reviewer and content creator Stacey Best — who was present for the ceremony — exclusively told Page Six that Parton “seemed very happy” and like her usual “funny self” that day, noting that she was seemingly “not in pain at all.”

Best went on to marvel, “She was in her typical gorgeous perfectly curated outfit and super high heels. Legend.”

Another person who was at the event, Miss Grand Tennessee 2026 Amanda Bell, exclusively told us Parton “surprised everyone in attendance,” as she was not “announced to appear at all.”

Bell shared, “When she came out to speak to the crowd, she didn’t move particularly fast, but she was wearing her signature stilettos. I can’t imagine still wearing them at her age, but I love that she still did!”

Bell echoed Best’s recollection, saying the Grammy winner “seemed her trademark happy, spunky self, cracking jokes during her few minutes of speaking.”

Bell pointed out that while Parton’s appearance that day was “brief,” it was also “very hot” outside.

She feels “very grateful” to have seen the “legend” in person.

A third attendee — Brooks Ramsey of Smoky Mountain Faith, Food and Fun — exclusively told us Parton “seemed fine” during the appearance and “still had the same kind of energy” she always had.

“She talked just like she normally did. She was very ‘Dolly’ that day,” Brooks recalled, adding that she even “filmed a promotional in the store.”

However, he noted that the singer-songwriter’s handlers “were careful with her that day,” as she had been experiencing unspecified health issues for about three years.

“I wanted to welcome all of you and say thank you for coming,” Parton said into the mic during her five-minute speech. “We’re very excited about our truck stop, The Tennessean Travel Stop.”

She added, “I’ve spent my whole life traveling on the road, so anyway, I wanted to welcome all of you and say thanks.”

The celebrated philanthropist then took a playful jab at fellow convenience store Buc-ee’s, whose mascot is a beaver.

“I’m sure some of you want to know why I wanted a truck stop,” she quipped. “Well, I couldn’t leave it to beavers. I had to throw my spurs in there myself!”

However, she made sure to note she was “not trying to compete” with other businesses.

“We don’t think we’ll have to. We think we’re gonna have everything you’ll want or need,” she concluded. “So thank you so much for coming. We’re gonna cut the ribbon and make it official!”

The latest news on music icon Dolly Parton’s death at 80

Parton appeared virtually on Aug. 19 to accept the Academy of Country Music Poet’s Award at the ACM Honors.

During her video message, she explained in part, “Every dream I ever had and all the dreams that I’ve been able to see come true in life, well, they all started with a song.”

She described songwriting as her “therapy,” “release” and “joy,” gushing, “Songwriting has been a gift from God that has allowed me to touch people with words and music.”

While a cause of death has not yet been disclosed to the public, TMZ reported that Parton was hospitalized at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville on Aug. 21 for “kidney and autoimmune issues.”

She died in the hospital, per the outlet.

The entrepreneur had previously canceled an Aug. 14 appearance at her Dollywood amusement park due to “a few little health issues,” elaborating in a video message to attendees that she sometimes gets “dizzy” and “dehydrated.”

She added that her doctors told her she “ain’t traveling this week.”

Parton’s longtime husband, Carl Dean, died in March 2025 at age 82.

Two months after Dean’s death, his grieving widow announced she would be putting her music projects “on hold” because she couldn’t “afford the luxury getting emotional.”