Reba McEntire honors late friend Dolly Parton, dedicating 'Happy’s Place' episode to her memory
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Reba McEntire paid tribute to her late friend Dolly Parton by dedicating an episode of her sitcom 'Happy’s Place' to the legendary singer.
The special episode aired on Friday, October 30, and was filmed during the week Parton passed away. McEntire's fiance and costar, Rex Linn, also recalled the emotional evening, describing how the cast came together to honor Parton's memory.
Reba McEntire dedicates 'Happy’s Place' episode to Dolly Parton
McEntire, 71, exclusively told Us Weekly that she had requested the episode be dedicated to Parton while the cast was filming it.
“When we were filming that episode, it was the week when Dolly passed,” she said. “So I had asked if we could dedicate the show to Dolly, and everybody said yes. That was an absolutely wonderful episode.”
Linn recalled learning about Parton's death on the night of the show's filming. He said McEntire had been responding to numerous messages before they left for work and became emotional in the car because of her close friendship with the singer.
“When Dolly passed that night, we had maybe our best live show. Before we were on our way to work, Reba was responding to so many texts. Reba and Dolly were really close, and she got sad in the car, so I said, ‘We got Dolly with us tonight,'” he recalled.
Linn added that the cast delivered a particularly energetic performance that evening, with McEntire publicly announcing the dedication.
“That night we had a rock ‘n’ roll show, and Reba even brought it up. She said, ‘We’re going to dedicate this show to Dolly tonight.’ We were running on all cylinders. The crowd was going crazy. So we know that she was with us. It was pretty cool,” he said.
Parton's representative confirmed her death through a statement in August, describing her as a global icon, humanitarian, singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright and author. The statement said she died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, and described her life as “a rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see.”
The representative also celebrated Parton's seven-decade career, her timeless music and songwriting, and her contributions to philanthropy. The statement added that her legacy of love, compassion and resilience would continue inspiring generations of artists and fans. Her representative later revealed that she died “after bravely facing a brief battle with cancer.”
Melissa Peterman recalls working with Dolly Parton on 'Reba'
While McEntire mourned her close friend, the cast of 'Happy’s Place' also celebrated the joy Parton brought through her life and work. McEntire recalled sharing the screen with Parton during an appearance on her sitcom 'Reba', where the two had a conversation about retirement.
“I remember sitting on the couch with her in between takes, and I said, ‘Dolly, are you ever going to retire?’ She said, ‘Where could I find a better job than what I’m getting to do now? No, I don’t see me slowing down,'” McEntire recalled.
McEntire added that Parton remained committed to her work until the end.
“And she was true to her word. She was working on the day she died,” she said.
Peterman, who also appeared alongside Parton on 'Reba', shared her memories of working with the singer. She described Parton as warm, generous and enthusiastic, recalling how she made an effort to ensure everyone around her felt appreciated.
“She was so warm. She was up for anything. She came to play and was so generous with her time,” Peterman told Us. “She just took time to make everyone feel so special, and that was just lovely.”
The memories shared by McEntire, Linn and Peterman reflected the lasting impression Parton had left on her friends and colleagues, both through her work and the personal connections she built over the years.
