Overview
- Reba McEntire said on Saturday that she missed a phone call from Dolly Parton in late July, tried to call back and was unable to reach her.
- Dolly Parton died on Aug. 25 after a short hospitalization and what outlets describe as a brief battle with cancer, but the family has not disclosed the specific type of cancer.
- McEntire has long been a close friend and collaborator of Parton, and she paid tribute with a performance at the 2026 Emmys and public messages after Parton’s death.
- Some recent reports have made specific claims about who saw Parton at the end of her life, including that only makeup artist Cheryl Riddle was present, but those details have not been independently verified.
- Parton’s family requested privacy, directed memorial gifts to the Imagination Library, and the new disclosures about missed calls and limited information may prompt further reporting into her final days and legacy arrangements.