Reba McEntire Says She Missed Final Call From Dolly Parton Before Her Death

The missed call from late July

Reba McEntire said Dolly Parton phoned her at the end of July and she missed the call because she was in a meeting. "She did call me the last of July, and I was in a meeting and I missed her call. I tried to get back in touch with her and I couldn't; never made connection," McEntire told Entertainment Tonight in an interview published on Sept. 25, designated as "Dolly Parton Appreciation Day." When she later learned of Parton's passing, McEntire said she thought, "I'll never know why she called me," adding, "I'll find out one day," and calling Parton "a blessing." Parton died on Aug. 25 in Nashville after a brief battle with cancer.

Parton's death and surrounding context

Parton's publicist Marcel Pariseau said the singer "departed her Earthly life" at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center "surrounded by loved ones." Parton had been admitted earlier to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville with kidney and autoimmune issues, and had canceled a Las Vegas residency citing health concerns earlier in the year. Speaking to PEOPLE before her death, Parton said she had put her own health aside while caring for her husband of 60 years, Carl Dean, who died at age 82 in March 2025, and described herself as "still healin', still workin'." Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, also confirmed the news, with Pariseau emphasizing Parton's philanthropy through her Imagination Library and other charitable efforts.

A long friendship between two country stars

McEntire, a country music icon in her own right, and Parton shared a friendship that included multiple collaborations over the years. Parton appeared as a guest star on the sitcom "Reba," and the two recorded a cover of "Does He Love You" for McEntire's 2021 album. McEntire joined a January 2026 revamped version of Parton's "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" alongside Miley Cyrus, Lainey Wilson and Queen Latifah, and they co-hosted the CMA Awards in 2019. Earlier this month, McEntire performed Parton's song "Appalachian Memories" at the Emmys.

Tributes from McEntire and the wider country community

Following news of Parton's death, McEntire wrote on Instagram: "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." Parton, who wrote hundreds of songs including "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors" and "I Will Always Love You," sold more than 100 million records worldwide and amassed more than 1 billion online streams during her career, and was also known for the Dollywood theme park near her birthplace in the Smoky Mountain foothills.

What remains unknown

McEntire has not disclosed what she believes Parton intended to discuss, saying only that she expects to "find out one day" why her friend reached out. No public statement from Parton's estate has addressed the unanswered call.