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Reba McEntire has revealed she missed a phone call from Dolly Parton weeks before her friend and country music legend died.
McEntire, 71, opened up about missing the opportunity to connect with Parton before her death in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“She did call me the last of July, and I was in a meeting and I missed her call,” said the three-time Grammy winner.
“I tried to get back in touch with her and I couldn’t – never made connection. And then when my buddy called me and said, ‘Dolly’s gone,’ I thought, ‘I’ll never know why she called me.’”
The “Whoever’s in New England” singer added: “I’ll find out some day.”
Parton died at the age of 80 in August, following a short spell at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. It was later revealed she had died after “a brief battle with cancer”. The type of cancer has not been disclosed.
McEntire was among the many celebrities to pay tribute in the wake of her death. ““Dolly, thank you for all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth,” she wrote. “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. 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.”
The singer recently honoured Parton at the 2026 Emmys with a moving performance of her 1983 hit song “Appalachian Memories”.
McEntire and Parton had known one another for decades, having met for the first time in 1977 when McEntire made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry, a prestigious live music venue in Nashville.
Last year, the friends hit out at fake AI images that had been circulating of them together. One picture, in particular, depicted Parton in a hospital bed with McEntire by her side was shared amid concerns over the “Jolene” singer’s health after her sister told fans that she’d been “up all night praying” for her.
“I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me, and I ain’t done working,” said Parton in October last year, addressing the image and concern for her health.
She told her fans how much she loved them and asked them to “keep praying for me”.
Earlier this week, Bono said that he cannot listen to one song on his forthcoming U2 album that marks Parton’s final recording – as she was sick and largely confined to bed rest when she chose to collaborate with him.
Parton “got out of her bed to sing this song”, Bono told Rolling Stone. “And you can hear that. And I can’t even listen to it now.” The track – titled “Torn” – will appear on Carnaval de Luz, which will be released on 13 November.
The “9 to 5” singer was laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, buried next to Carl Dean, her husband of 60 years, who died in March 2025.
It was claimed this week (23 September) that only one person was allowed to see Parton on her deathbed: her longtime makeup and wig artist, Cheryl Riddle.
