Dolly Parton has missed receiving her honorary Oscar in person just weeks after her health issues sparked concerns for her well-being.
The Queen of Country, 79, was forced to skip the 16th Academy Governors Awards on Sunday due to a scheduling conflict.
However, the iconic singer still made an appearance via a pre-recorded video played at Hollywood’s Ray Dolby Ballroom. After she was introduced by actor Lily Tomlin, Parton thanked the Academy for honoring her with the “blessing of a lifetime” in the Jean Hershold Humanitarian Award and spoke about her upbringing in Tennessee.
“I grew up in a house with 12 kids,” she said. “Now that alone teaches you how important sharing is. Don’t get me wrong, we didn’t have that much to share, but my mama and daddy showed me that the more you give, the more blessings come your way.
“And I have tried my whole life to live by their example and I have been blessed more than I ever dreamed possible, like with this award tonight. From my heart to yours, I truly thank you," she said.
In addition to Parton, honorary Oscars were handed out at the annual awards to Tom Cruise, choreographer Debbie Allen, and production designer Wynn Thomas.
While Variety previously reported that Parton would miss the awards for health reasons, her publicist told USA Today that there was a scheduling conflict and the virtual appearance was planned in advance.
Fans have been concerned about Parton’s health after she postponed her upcoming Las Vegas residency over health concerns, which also led her sister to ask for prayers for the Grammy-winning singer, who had mourned the death of her husband of 58 years, Carl Dean, in March.
However, the “Jolene” singer assured fans that she was better than ever and that she simply “didn’t take care of herself” after her husband’s death in a video she shared in response to rumors she was dying, saying: “I ain’t dead yet!”
“I let a lot of things go that I should’ve been taking care of,” she explained. “So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said, ‘We need to take care of this. We need to take care of that.’ Nothing major, but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home.”
Parton’s Oscar is her first statuette, though she has been nominated for the prestigious award twice for best original song. The honor brings her one step closer to EGOT status — all she needs is a Tony.
