Parton passed away last month following a ‘brief battle with cancer.’

Reba McEntire reveals she missed a call from Dolly Parton before she died: ‘I’ll never know why she called’

Parton passed away last month following a ‘brief battle with cancer.’

By Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence is a former associate editor at **. He left EW in 2022.

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September 25, 2026 6:57 p.m. ET

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Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. Credit:

- Reba McEntire revealed she had a missed call from Dolly Parton before her death.

- McEntire was unable to get back in touch with the late icon.

- She previously thanked Parton for “all the wonderful things you did.”

Reba McEntire is opening up about missing out on connecting with the late Dolly Parton one last time.

A month after Parton’s death at the age of 80, McEntire revealed that she was unable to get in touch with the music icon before her passing.

“She did call me the last of July, and I was in a meeting and I missed her call,” McEntire told *Entertainment Tonight**.* “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.’”

With a somber smile, McEntire added, “I’ll find out one day.”

Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire in 1986.

Announced on Aug. 25, Parton’s death came after a “brief battle with cancer.” McEntire was one of the many celebrities to share their remembrance of the music icon on social media.

“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.”

She concluded, “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.”

How Dolly Parton helped after Reba McEntire’s band died in plane crash

Reba McEntire pays tribute to longtime friend Dolly Parton after her death

The longtime friends collaborated numerous times, including Parton’s guest-star appearance on McEntire’s *Reba* sitcom in 2005 and when the duo sang “Does He Love You” on McEntire’s *Revived Remixed Revisited *album in 2021.

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Most importantly, Parton was there for McEntire when tragedy struck. After a 1991 concert in San Diego, eight of McEntire’s bandmates were killed in a plane crash.

“It was really hard for me to get back onstage,” McEntire previously admitted. “Dolly Parton said, ‘Here, take my band.’ It was such a gift to see how many people stepped forward to help, and to reassure, because so many of us had hearts that were broken.”

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