Reba McEntire Reveals Dolly Parton’s Touching On-Set Gesture: ‘She Didn’t Have To Do That’

Reba McEntire was determined to make Dolly Parton feel welcome when the country legend joined her sitcom for a guest appearance—but it was Parton who ended up making everyone on-set feel special.

While speaking at NAR NXT in New Orleans alongside her manager and former real estate agent, Justin McIntosh, McEntire recalled the thoughtful gesture Parton made for every crew member behind the scenes of her hit sitcom “Reba”—a small act of kindness that left a lasting impression.

Instead of simply showing up and delivering her lines, Parton made a point of personally greeting the people working behind the scenes, bringing along Valentine’s Day candy and a message for every crew member.

For McEntire, the gesture remains a vivid example of the warmth that made her fellow singer so beloved.

“I was so nervous with Dolly being on the set. I wanted everyone to be nice. What I didn’t expect was how nice she was going to be on the set," she said.

McEntire recalled that Parton took the time to make each person feel appreciated, turning a guest appearance into a chance to connect with the crew.

“She had Valentine’s Day candies, and she went to every crew member individually and said how happy she was to be there,” she said. “She didn’t have to do that.”

The memory has stayed with McEntire, along with a conversation the two shared while sitting together on the iconic show's couch.

“I asked her if she would ever retire,” McEntire recalled. “And she said, ‘What would I do that I could have so much fun doing?’”

It was a simple answer, but one that reflected the enthusiasm McEntire remembers so fondly.

“I’ve never met a person or known a person that’s so universally loved like Dolly Parton,” she said. “I’ve never heard anything bad about her. She was that special of a person.”

That sense of gratitude for a career filled with opportunities to connect with people is something McEntire shares.

“I’m just really grateful and thankful for doing what I do at the level I do,” she said.

For McEntire, keeping her work exciting means giving herself room to try new things—and inviting her audience along for the experience.

“When I change things up, my fans stay interested with me,” she explained. “If it looks like I’m having fun, then they’re having fun.”

The actress revealed that being able to enjoy her work is a gift.

“If you are doing what you love, then that’s how blessed you are,” she said. “That’s one of the greatest gifts God can give, to give you a job you love. I’m very grateful for my job.”

The connection she has built with her audience also rests on the principle that people can recognize sincerity principle—something she believes applies well beyond entertainment.

“I try to sing the songs from my heart so when you listen to it, it touches your heart,” she said.

That emphasis on warmth and connection carries into the way McEntire searches for a home, too.

Long before her career brought her to stages and television sets, she grew up on an 8,000-acre ranch in Oklahoma.

Despite the expanse of land outside, her family of six shared a small house with three bedrooms and one bathroom.

Asked what she first thinks of when she remembers the ranch, McEntire named the people and feelings that filled it.

“Love, family, unity, closeness,” she said. “One itty-bitty bathroom, three bedrooms. We were a close family.”

Gathering around the dinner table was part of life, and the atmosphere of the house remains easy for her to recall.

“We all sat at the dinner table together,” she said. “It was earthy. I can still smell how the house smelled and the energy.”

The land remains a family home. McEntire says it stayed in the family after her parents died, and her sister and her sister’s family now live on the property.

Those early memories offer a glimpse of what McEntire still values when she walks into a house: a feeling of comfort and a connection that goes beyond its appearance.

“A house has energy, and when you come in and when you bond with that energy, it makes it a home,” she said. “So I always look for good, positive energy when I come in.”

The country icon reflected on the moment she experienced that pull while looking for property in Tennessee.

A friend who was vacationing in Florida with a real estate agent spotted a listing the agent was viewing and urged that it be shown to McEntire.

“My friend said, ‘You gotta show Reba that place,’” she recalled.

The approach to the property and a creek at the back helped capture her attention. Soon, she was returning for visits and spending time with the owners.

“The love I had for that house, it took my breath away,” she said. “I went a couple times, and I watched football games with the owners.”

When it comes to her priorities in a home, being comfortable and enjoying the surroundings rank high.

“I love a home with a view,” she said. “When I lived in Oklahoma, you could see sunrise and sunset. That’s important to me.”

McEntire said that focus on people and their needs also helped draw her to her partnership with Realtor.com®.

“What y'all do is very important, you care so much, that's why I like Realtor.com. I love your organization because you have heart...You really do dive into the family and what their needs are. You love people and you care about people, that's why I wanted to be with you guys," she said.

Whether she is discussing finding a home or maintaining the trust of an audience, McEntire returns to the importance of treating people well—and continuing to do so over time.

“You have to stay consistently honest, because when you look someone in the eye, they know how you treated them last time,” she said. “You have to stay consistent with it.”