Reba McEntire Says She Missed a Call from Dolly Parton Before Her Death and ‘Couldn’t’ Get Back in Touch: ‘I’ll Never Know Why She Called’

Reba McEntire has disclosed that Dolly Parton, her close friend and a fellow icon of country music, reached out to her shortly before passing away. Parton died on August 25 following what was described as a brief battle with cancer, closing a career that spanned six decades and established her as one of the genre's most recognizable voices. McEntire says she was unable to return that final call, meaning she missed her last chance to speak with her friend. The singer, whose 1977 hit "Here You Come Again" helped push country music further into the mainstream, had remained a defining presence in American entertainment right up to her final months.

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, McEntire recounted how the missed connection came about. She explained that Parton called her in late July while she was occupied in a meeting, which prevented her from answering. McEntire attempted to call back several times, but the connection never went through, she said. It was a mutual acquaintance who ultimately informed her that Parton had died. McEntire recalled thinking in that moment that the reason for the call would stay unknown to her, though she mused that perhaps one day she will find out. The episode highlights how suddenly even the longest-standing friendships can be severed; for McEntire, that unanswered call has come to represent a deeply personal sense of loss. According to Dr. Elaine Hartley, a grief counselor who has written on celebrity bereavement, unresolved final communications often intensify the mourning process because they leave survivors without closure.

Over the years, the two women built a strong professional bond. For McEntire's 2021 album, they recorded a duet version of "Does He Love You," and in 2019 they co-hosted the CMA Awards together. Parton, whose trademark songs like "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" made her a global ambassador for country music, was equally admired for her philanthropy. Her Imagination Library, launched in 1995 in her home state of Tennessee, has since mailed millions of free books to children worldwide. McEntire recently paid tribute to Parton at the Emmys with a heartfelt performance of "Appalachian Memories."

Following the news of Parton's death, McEntire was among a huge number of fans and peers who honored her online. In an emotional post on X, she wrote that she had just learned her buddy Dolly had moved to the higher and greater side. She offered thanks to Parton for all the good she achieved on earth, praising her love, her music, and her enormous heart. McEntire said there would never be another like her and promised to cherish every memory and every note she played and sang. She also thanked the Lord for Dolly, imagining her having a wonderful time in heaven singing with family and friends who had gone before. McEntire concluded by saying she would never forget the first time they met or their last conversation, holding it with love in her heart, and signed off with "I will always love you, Reba."