Dolly Parton says she 'would never retire,' would rather 'drop dead' on stage

Dolly Parton isn't interested in slowing down right now – or ever.

The "9 to 5" singer says she doesn't have plans to retire and will perform until she can't anymore.

"I would never retire. I’ll just hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song on stage someday, hopefully one I've written," Parton, 77, said on Greatest Hits Radio Thursday during an interview with host Ken Bruce.

Parton's multihyphenate career as a singer/songwriter, actress, author and business mogul has spanned decades, leading to 53 Grammy nominations and 10 wins, four Emmy nominations and one win and nominations for two Oscars and a Tony. Her entertainment empire, the Dollywood Company, includes the Dollywood heme park.

"As long as I’m able to work, as long as my health is good, and my husband is good," she said. "I mean, the only way that I would ever slow down or stop would be for that reason ... But in the meantime I'm going to make hay while the sun shines."

Her list of aspirations remains long.

"I have new dreams every day. I've got lots of dreams," she said, noting she wants to have her own network television show and also wants to do more TV shows and movies in general. Parton, known for her blonde, close-to-heaven hair and painted visage, also hopes to have her own makeup and wig lines.

Parton has previously advocated for others take on dreams.

"You've got to get out there, make those dreams come true," she told USA TODAY in 2021, highlighted as one of the Women of the Century. "You've got to be the one to sacrifice what you need, to lean on who all will help you. You've got to get out there and put legs on them, wings on them, feet on them, hands on them, fingers. You've got to get out there and work it."

Dolly Parton: ‘The whole magic about me is that I look artificial, but I’m totally real’

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dolly Parton says age doesn't mean retirement: 'I would never retire'