Reba McEntire Reveals The Surprising Way She Communicates With Dolly Parton

Reba McEntire revealed the best way to contact Dolly Parton during a recent interview: via fax. McEntire spoke with Dave…

Reba McEntire; Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images, Dolly Parton; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Reba McEntire revealed the best way to contact Dolly Parton during a recent interview: via fax.

McEntire spoke with Dave Cobb, a Grammy Award-winning producer and host of Southern Accents Radio on Apple Music Country back on Apr. 30, sharing how she got in touch with Parton to ask her to sing an updated version of the duet, “Does He Love You?” on her 2021 album, Revived Remixed Revisited.

“I can’t even imagine making that phone call for Dolly to be on [“Does He Love You?”], let alone singing with Dolly Parton,” Cobb said.

“Well, you don’t call Dolly, you fax her. And you fax your people and your people talk to her people,” McEntire shared. The “Fancy” singer went on to say that fax is the “only way [she] knows to get ahold of [Parton].”

“[Fax is] the only way I know to get ahold of [Dolly],” McEntire said. “I even asked Kenny Rogers one time, I said, ‘Do you have Dolly’s cell number?’ He said, ‘No.’ So you fax her,” she explained.
Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire; Photo Courtesy Reba
McEntire sang the “Jolene” singer’s praises, calling Parton “bighearted” and “different than anybody [she’s] ever met.”

“[Dolly] did tell me one time that she gets up early in the morning and she writes. She writes every day. But Dolly is different than anybody I’ve ever met, whether they’re in the business or not. She’s so creative, so witty, so spunky, so feisty. And biggest hearted person I’ve ever met in my life, and I’ve met some bighearted people,” McEntire revealed.

“But she’s a giver and I don’t know, I’m in awe of Dolly. I’m not intimidated, it’s just, I’m in awe of her. She’s just… I don’t know. I put her out there sometimes, God’s little sister because she helps so many people and takes care of so many people. It’s just like an angel on earth. I really respect her a lot,” she added.

In addition, McEntire and Cobb discussed her album, My Chains Are Gone, which features an array of the singer’s favorite hymns and gospel songs as well as preparations around her Oklahoma-based restaurant, Reba’s Place, and the late Merle Haggard’s influence on her singing with her siblings.

McEntire said she and her siblings had a country band at their high school and performed Haggard’s song, “Okie From Muskogee” during a 4-H club talent show. She also cited her faith as helping her cope with being homesick while on the road.

Additionally, McEntire shared she hopes her latest venture, Reba’s Place will open in the fall in Atoka, Oklahoma. Reba’s Place is a combination restaurant, bar, live music venue, and retail store.

The country singer formed the restaurant in partnership with the Choctaw nation of Oklahoma and the city of Atoka. She first revealed her plans to open a restaurant while on stage in Oklahoma back in 2021.

Her soon-to-open restaurant is not McEntire’s only venture. The singer is working with Harper Celebrate, an imprint of book publisher HarperCollins Focus, to release a lifestyle book, which is due out in Fall 2023.