What a way to make a livin’.
Dolly Parton made it clear that she has no plans to retire anytime soon.
“I would never retire. I’ll just hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song onstage someday,” the “9 to 5” singer, 77, said last week while appearing as guest on the Greatest Hits Radio show.
“That’s how I hope to go. Of course, we don’t have much of a choice in that.”
Parton — who has been married to Carl Thomas Dean since 1966 — added that she’ll continuing performing as long as her body will allow it.
“As long as I’m able to work, as long as my health is good and my husband is good. I mean, the only way that I would ever slow down or stop would be for that reason,” she said.
“But in the meantime, I’m gonna make hay while the sun shines.”
The legendary country singer elaborated that she feels “responsible” for keeping “the dream alive” since she was “lucky enough” to have her dreams come true in the first place.
“And every dream kind of spawns another dream. You can branch off of almost anything that happens and make a business of that as well,” she added.
“So it’s kind of like a tree with good roots – it’s got a lot of limbs and it’s also got a lot of leaves. So, why not make the most of it? And I’m not one to sit around and do nothing.”
Parton’s decades-long career began early, with the songstress performing at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry for the first time when she was 13 years old.
Since kicking off her career with her first album “Hello, I’m Dolly” in 1967, Parton has released a whopping 65 studio albums.
She currently holds the Guinness World Record for most studio albums released by a female country singer.
The “Jolene” songstress also shared her dream to own a line of makeup, wigs and clothes on top of other big potential plans for her future, including her own “network show.”
“I wanna have my own story called ‘Life of Many Colors,’ where I have a whole series of my life,” Parton teased.
“Stuff that people haven’t seen or know or heard about, and my people, where I come from, where I got to be and who I am; to have the behind-the-scenes and the adventures of my life.”
While the country music star has big aspirations outside of the industry, Parton is still keeping her musical dream alive as well.
The singer’s 66th album, “Rockstar,” is set to be released on Nov. 17.
The 30-track album features names such as her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, along with Lizzo, Elton John and Sting.
Parton also recently worked with Dionne Warwick on a gospel duet that’s expected to be on the album.
“I am very honored and privileged to have worked with some of the greatest iconic singers and musicians of all time and to be able to sing all the iconic songs throughout the album was a joy beyond measure,” Parton said in a statement released in May.
“I hope everybody enjoys the album as much as I’ve enjoyed putting it together!”
