Dolly Parton vows to never retire despite stopping touring
Although Dolly Parton previously revealed that she no longer plans to tour, the singer has now re-affirmed her desire to continue making music for as long as possible.
After spending most of her adult life as a touring musician, Parton made the decision in 2022 to take a step back from the road. Since then, Parton has continued to be prolific as a recording artist, releasing an album of rock ‘n’ roll covers, aptly titled Rockstar, in 2023, which she is set to follow up on November 15th with the new project, Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables.
Upon announcing her retirement from touring, Parton told Pollstar: “I do not think I will ever tour again, but I do know I’ll do special shows here and there, now and then. Maybe do a long weekend of shows, or just a few shows at a festival. But I have no intention of going on a full-blown tour anymore.”
Since then, she has stayed true to her word, and not gone back on her plans of retirement like many musicians due to the lucrative nature of farewell tours. However, Parton has played the occasional mini-residency, such as three shows at the Bijou Theatre in Tennessee in May, 2024.
Seemingly, the singer has found the perfect balance which allows her to still play shows while simultaneously recording new music, and spending precious time with her family.
In a new interview with The Guardian, Parton explained that she hopes to continue maintaining this current lifestyle for as long as possible, stating, “Oh, my Lord, I can’t retire. I always say I’ve dreamed myself into a corner. I’ve got to keep all those dreams alive. Every dream spins off into some something else. It’s misinformation when I said I was not touring any more.”
Parton also said she will continue to occasionally play concerts, adding: “I still do shows – I just don’t go on the full-blown tours where I go overseas for weeks. I’m older, my husband’s older, and I want to be with him more. So, no. I couldn’t retire if I wanted to. And I don’t want to.”
These new comments align with a similar statement made by Parton last year. “I would never retire. I would hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song on stage someday – and hopefully one I’ve written – but that’s how I hope to go,” she told broadcaster Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio in 2023.
Similarly, Elton John retired from touring in 2023 following a spectacular farewell jaunt which included his first appearance at Glastonbury Festival, however, he remains committed to recording new music and broadcasting weekly on Apple Music.
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