Reba McEntire Honors Dolly Parton With Emotional Emmy Tribute

Reba McEntire turned the 2026 Emmy Awards into a deeply personal farewell to her longtime friend Dolly Parton, performing one of Parton’s songs just weeks after the country music icon died at age 80.

At the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 14, McEntire took the stage to perform Parton’s 1983 song “Appalachian Memories.” As the performance came to an emotional close, McEntire delivered a simple message directly to her late friend: “I love you, Dolly. So much.”

The tribute was introduced by actress Sally Field, Parton’s costar in the beloved 1989 film Steel Magnolias. Field remembered Parton not only as an extraordinary entertainer, but also as a generous, funny and deeply compassionate person.

Sally Field Remembers Dolly as “an Angel on Earth”

Before McEntire sang, Field took the stage to reflect on her friendship with Parton.

“If there are truly angels on earth, then we just lost one, Dolly Parton,” Field said.

Field recalled her experience working alongside Parton on Steel Magnolias and explained that her affection for the singer never faded, even though the two women lived far apart.

“She was genuine and humble, supportive, and blisteringly funny,” Field said, also recalling Parton’s famously bawdy sense of humor.

Field went on to describe Parton as a “real giant” whose influence extended far beyond entertainment. She highlighted the country star’s humanitarian work and the difference she made in Tennessee and across the United States.

“God bless you, Dolly Parton, my friend,” Field concluded. “I am not the only one on earth that will love you forever and ever.”

The tribute was particularly poignant given Field and Parton’s history together. The two starred alongside one another in Steel Magnolias, with Field playing M’Lynn Eatenton and Parton portraying beauty shop owner Truvy Jones.

Reba McEntire Sings “Appalachian Memories”

Reba McEntire pays tribute to Dolly Parton singing “Appalachian Memories” #Emmys https://t.co/qygDX44XTB

— Deadline (@DEADLINE) September 15, 2026

 

McEntire followed Field’s tribute with a performance of “Appalachian Memories,” Parton’s 1983 song.

The choice carried added meaning because McEntire and Parton shared a friendship that stretched across decades. McEntire has often spoken about Parton’s influence on her life and career, and the two country stars collaborated musically over the years.

Their friendship included a 2021 acoustic reworking of McEntire’s classic “Does He Love You,” marking the first recorded duet between the two icons.

McEntire also remembered Parton publicly after her death on Aug. 25, writing that her longtime friend had given so much through her love, music and “huge, huge heart.”

The Emmy performance offered McEntire another opportunity to honor that bond. Rather than ending with a lengthy speech, she closed the song with a brief, heartfelt declaration of love for Parton.

“I love you, Dolly. So much.”

Dolly Parton’s Long Emmy History

Parton’s connection to television went far beyond her music. She received her first Emmy nomination in 1978 for Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music for her appearance on the television special Cher… Special.

She later earned nominations for her work as an executive producer on several television movies. Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love was nominated for Outstanding Television Movie in 2017, while Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones received a nomination in the same category in 2020.

In 2021, Parton finally won her first and only Emmy, taking home Outstanding Television Movie as an executive producer of Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square. Her final Emmy nomination came in 2023 for Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas.

Her television legacy also included work behind the scenes. In 1985, Parton and her longtime manager Sandy Gallin founded Sandollar Productions, which went on to produce television hits including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

Parton was also a television star in her own right. Her variety series Dolly originally aired in syndication from 1976 to 1977 before returning on ABC from 1987 to 1988. Throughout her career, she also made appearances on shows including The Simpsons, Designing Women, Grace and Frankie, Reba and Hannah Montana.

A Final Emmy Salute to a Television Icon

Parton died on Aug. 25 at age 80 following what her team described as a brief battle with cancer. She had kept her illness private, with her sister Stella Parton later explaining that Dolly did not want her family and fans to worry about her.

Her death prompted an outpouring of tributes from musicians, actors and longtime collaborators. At the Emmys, that remembrance took on a special significance because it brought together two people who knew her in very different ways: Field, who shared the screen with her, and McEntire, who shared a decades-long friendship with her.

For a star whose career crossed music, film and television, the Emmy tribute offered a fitting farewell. Field remembered the woman behind the legend, while McEntire let Parton’s own music speak before sending one final message to the friend she loved.

And as “Appalachian Memories” faded, McEntire’s words left little doubt about what Dolly Parton meant to her: “I love you, Dolly. So much.”