{"id":907278,"date":"2026-09-27T10:50:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T10:50:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/907278\/"},"modified":"2026-09-27T10:50:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T10:50:14","slug":"dolly-parton-death-reba-mcentire-haunted-by-missed-call-from-dolly-parton-a-month-before-her-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/907278\/","title":{"rendered":"Dolly Parton death: Reba McEntire haunted by missed call from Dolly Parton a month before her death"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reba McEntire revealed she missed a call from longtime friend and fellow country music icon Dolly Parton<\/a>, about a month before her death aged 80<\/a>. <\/p>\n

McEntire, 71, said she was haunted by the fact she was never able to reconnect with Parton in those few weeks between the missed call and her passing in August. <\/p>\n

\"Reba<\/p>\n

Reba McEntire revealed she missed longtime friend Dolly Parton\u2019s final phone call and couldn\u2019t get in touch with her again before her death, mere weeks later. \u00a0Instagram\/@reba<\/p>\n

\u201cShe did call me the last of July, and I was in a meeting and I missed her call,\u201d McEntire told Entertainment Tonight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to get back in touch with her, and I couldn\u2019t. Never made connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

McEntire then said that when she got word that \u201cDolly\u2019s gone\u201d on August 25 she thought, \u201cI\u2019ll never know why she called me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the pain of not knowing, she remains hopeful that she\u2019ll \u201cfind out one day.\u201d <\/p>\n

Parton and McEntire met in 1977 at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, when a 22-year-old McEntire was making her debut. <\/p>\n

At the time, staff told McEntire they\u2019d cut one of her two planned songs because Parton had just arrived. She happily made space for the Jolene singer. <\/p>\n

Their bond lasted nearly five decades, built on deep mutual respect as pioneering women in country music. <\/p>\n

Parton famously offered her own band to McEntire in 1991 after a tragic plane crash killed members of McEntire\u2019s touring crew and band. <\/p>\n

\"Reba<\/p>\n

Both country icons in their own right, McEntire and Parton\u2019s friendship spanned almost 50 years, since their first meeting in 1977.\u00a0Instagram\/@reba<\/p>\n

Over the years, Parton guest-starred on McEntire\u2019s sitcom Reba in 2005 and recorded a version of Does He Love You for Reba\u2019s 2021 album.<\/p>\n

Earlier in September, McEntire honoured Parton at the Emmy Awards<\/a> with a performance of the late singer\u2019s song Appalachian Memories. <\/p>\n

Following the news of Parton\u2019s death, McEntire remembered her friend with a touching social media tribute<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I just got the news that my buddy Dolly passed onto the higher and greater side,\u201d she wrote at the time. <\/p>\n

\"Reba<\/p>\n

Parton famously offered her own band to McEntire in 1991 after a tragic plane crash killed members of McEntire\u2019s touring crew and band. \u00a0Instagram\/@reba<\/p>\n

\u201cDolly, thank you for all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will never ever be another you. We will remember and cherish every memory and every note you ever played and sang. <\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Lord, for Dolly. She\u2019s gonna have a blast in heaven singing all her favorite songs with all her family and friends who have gone on before her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll never forget the first time I met you and I\u2019ll never forget our last conversation. I hold it with love in my heart. I will always love you.\u201d <\/p>\n

McEntire called the last time she was able to speak with Parton \u201creally special\u201d and she \u201cdidn\u2019t want to let her go\u201d despite knowing she was busy. <\/p>\n

Parton\u2019s cause of death was confirmed the same day her death was announced, with those close to her revealing she had been secretly battling cancer. <\/p>\n