The Beautiful Bond Between Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire: A Friendship Built on Love
From their magical first meeting in 1977 to decades of collaboration, their bond was special
Key Takeaways
- Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton shared a sweet friendship that began in 1977.
- Over the years, the two collaborated and leaned on one another during tough times.
- Here, see how Reba is remembering her friend after her unexpected passing.
Over the course of Dolly Parton’s life, she left her mark in nearly every industry, but it’s the bonds she formed while forging her country music career that stand out most, and one of those was with fellow musician and actress Reba McEntire. Reba, 71, first crossed paths with Dolly back in 1977 as she prepared to take the Grand Ole Opry stage, and what followed were years of friendship, collaboration and love. Here, take a look back on the relationship between Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire, and see how Reba is honoring the memory of her late friend.
Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire meet backstage in 1977
Back in 2016, Reba McEntire shared her knowledge of the industry in a MasterClass, and during the lessons, she reminisced on the first time she crossed paths with Dolly.
“September 17, 1977 was the first time I got to perform at the Grand Ole Opry here in Nashville, Tennessee,” she shared. “So I walked in, and they said, ‘Reba, I’m terribly sorry, but the two songs that we said you could sing, you’re only going to get to sing one. I said, ‘Why?’ And they said, ‘Well, Dolly Parton just pulled in the parking lot, and she’s going to take one of your songs.”
Instead of panicking, Reba simply asked if she could meet the icon. “I didn’t care or anything. I just wanted to see Dolly Parton,” she remembered. “She came walking in and I kinda backed up against the wall, and she had on the most beautiful black chiffon pantsuit with rhinestone butterflies on them, and her beautiful hair. I thought, ‘My gosh, that’s probably what an angel looks just like right there.”
Reba and Dolly collaborated over the years
Back in 2005, while McEntire was starring in her hit sitcom Reba, Dolly joined her as a guest star on an episode, playing the part of Dolly Majors. Majors owned a real estate agency that hired Reba, but as time went on, Reba came to recognize her new boss’ ruthless nature. In 2018, Reba reflected on working with Dolly on her show in conversation with E! News, saying, “When I was doing the Reba TV show, Dolly spent the whole week with us on set.” She went on to express her desire to share the screen with her again, saying, “Anywhere you can go in the world and you say Dolly—you don’t have to say Dolly Parton—everybody knows Dolly and everybody loves Dolly. Why wouldn’t you want to hang with her?”
Dolly offered her band to Reba after tragedy
In 1991, seven members of Reba McEntire’s band, as well as her tour manager, were killed in a plane crash. Though it was tough to continue, Reba recognized how the support of her friends kept her going—including Dolly Parton.
“It was really hard for me to get back onstage, but Vince Gill called and said, ‘Buddy, I’ll be there for you,’” she recalled to Garden & Gun. “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.”
Reba remembers her friendship with Dolly
After news broke of Dolly’s passing, Reba took to social media to share a touching tribute. “Well, I just got the news that my buddy Dolly passed onto the higher and greater side. 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. 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. 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, Reba.”
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