Dolly Parton: 'I'm running out of time to get everything done'

Country music legend Dolly Parton fears she'll die before she achieves all of her dreams.

The singer turned 70 in January (16) and admits the age milestone came with a reminder that she is "running out of time".

"Sometimes I feel like 300-years-old and sometimes I feel like I'm just about 20 and I feel like I did when I first went to Nashville. But I'm just thinking I'm gonna run out of time," she told WENN. "There's so much I still want to do. I keep thinking, 'Don't think like that. Just do it! Just work like you're 16! In fact I wrote a song called I'm 16 and it's on my new Pure and Simple album."

Yet Dolly insists retirement is not on the cards for her. In fact she hopes she drops dead "right in the middle of a song onstage in front of a bunch of people".

She adds, "I've always meant it and I hope that's how I go. I want you all to say, 'Look at her. She had a smile on her face and now she's gone!'"

The blonde star also gave today's musical stars permission to revamp her I Will Always Love You ballad.

Whitney Houston made the song Dolly wrote about her professional split from mentor Porter Wagoner her own, and it has also been sung and recorded by Jennifer Hudson, British X Factor finalist Rik Waller, and superstar Beyonce, who performed the anthem at a Los Angeles fundraiser on Saturday night (05Mar16).

And the tune's writer has no problems with anyone giving her track a new voice.

"I'm really proud of that song," Dolly said. "Let them girls keep on singing it. I don't care who claims it! I always said it could be Whitney's song - she could have the credit as long as I get the cash!

"That's just one of those songs that's the gift that keeps on giving. It's so simple and so singable and touches people in so many different ways.