Reba McEntire Missed Dolly Parton’s Last Call: ‘Find Out One Day’
Reba McEntire has one unanswered question about Dolly Parton that she knows she may have to wait a long time to resolve.
The country stars shared a friendship that spanned decades, and McEntire had a chance to honor that bond in a particularly personal way at the 2026 Primetime Emmys.
But there’s one moment from the final weeks of Parton’s life that McEntire can’t help but think about: a phone call she never got the chance to return.
Reba Will Always Wonder About Dolly’s Call
Parton called McEntire at the end of July while Reba was in a meeting. By the time she was able to return the call, she couldn’t get through to Dolly.
“She did call me the last of July, and I was in a meeting, and I missed her call,” McEntire told Entertainment Tonight.
The “Fancy” singer continued, “I tried to get back in touch with her and I couldn’t; never made a connection. And then when my buddy called me and said, ‘Dolly’s gone,’ I thought, ‘I’ll never know why she called me.’”
With a somber smile, McEntire added, “I’ll find out one day.”
Reba Remembers Dolly
Parton died in August at 80 after a brief battle with cancer. McEntire immediately took to social media to remember her friend.
Read More: Dolly Parton’s ‘Appalachian Memories’ History: A Father’s Story, Name Change + More
“Dolly, thank you for all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth. Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart. There will never ever be another you. We will remember and cherish every memory and every note you ever played and sang.” she wrote.
Thank you, Lord, for Dolly. She’s gonna have a blast in heaven singing all her favorite songs with all her family and friends who have gone on before her. I’ll never forget the first time I met you and I’ll never forget our last conversation. I hold it with love in my heart. I will always love you.
McEntire’s love for Parton was also on full display at the 2026 Primetime Emmys, where she performed “Appalachian Memories” as part of the tribute to her friend.
But Reba didn’t just show up and sing Dolly’s song — she brought a piece of Dolly with her. McEntire wore Parton’s own jewelry for the performance, including a butterfly ring and earrings.
Those little details made the tribute feel like something more than a performance; Reba was carrying Dolly with her onto that stage.
9 Times Dolly Parton Sang About Heaven and Her Faith
Dolly Parton has an extensive catalog of music from her decades in the genre. And while there are several big hits like “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” it’s the songs about her faith that she might have loved the most.
Parton was open about her love for Jesus, and she often sang about it, weaving in beautiful imagery of what Heaven would be like one day.
She kept her faith on her sleeve until the day she passed, finally getting to where she was going.
Gallery Credit: Jess Rose
