Dolly Parton admitted she 'wasn't finished' in one of her final phone calls before death
Dolly Parton admitted she 'wasn't finished' in one of her final phone calls before death
Ayeesha Walsh Fri, August 28, 2026 at 3:30 PM UTC
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Lainey Wilson shared an emotional tribute to Dolly Parton -Credit:Getty Images for American Greetings
Lainey Wilson has revealed heartbreaking details of one of her final phone calls with Dolly Parton, saying the country music legend told her she felt she "wasn't finished" just weeks before her death aged 80.
The Grammy-winning singer, 34, paid an emotional tribute to Parton following her shock passing on Tuesday, August 25, after a private battle with cancer. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Lainey shared a series of photographs showing the pair together over the years, including treasured moments performing side by side and working together in the recording studio.
"My Dolly. I felt like you were my friend before we even met.. you made everybody feel that way," she began. When the pair "became friends," Lainey said they always had "a lot to talk about." It comes as Dolly's final wish, and the unusual manner in which she wants to be buried has been revealed.
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But it was their final conversation that has left the country star particularly emotional. Lainey revealed she had spoken to Dolly just before her death, writing, "I sure am glad you called a couple of weeks ago."
During the call, the two stars spoke about their careers and the sacrifices that come with life in the music industry. They also discussed their husbands, with Lainey opening up about her husband Devlin "Duck" Hodges while Dolly also spoke about her late husband.
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Lainey revealed details of her final chat with Dolly -Credit:Getty Images
"We got to talk about the business, the sacrifice, how special Carl Dean was to you and how important Duck is to me," Wilson said. Dolly also had some advice for Lainey about making sure she continued to support her husband while pursuing her own career.
"You told me that 'it’s all great and stuff that Duck lets you be you, but you better make sure you let Duck be himself too," she shared. The pair also turned their conversation to their faith and Bible readings. "You also told me to take my time reading the book of Revelation and that I might need to go on back to Psalms for a minute to catch my breath," said Lainey.
And amid their discussion about spirituality, Dolly spoke about her determination to continue working — appearing to suggest she still had more she wanted to accomplish. "We talked about how we both feel like we were called into this business and you told me you felt like you weren’t finished," Lainey said. "Well my friend, you are not.
Dolly passed away on Tuesday, August 25, aged 80 -Credit:Richard E. Aaron, Redfernsvia Getty Images
"The kind of love and light you shined in your lifetime is the kind that never goes away." Lainey said she was "thankful the Lord" had given Dolly a gift which she had shared with millions of people around the world.
She added that "the Lord decided to share you with us." In a deeply personal farewell, Lainey also looked ahead to the day she hopes they will meet again.
She wrote, "I can’t wait to see you again and I know when I hug your neck in heaven someday you are still gonna be saying, 'don’t mess up hair, Lainey girl.'" She ended her emotional tribute with a reference to one of Dolly's most famous songs, writing, "I will always love you, my friend."
It comes as Dolly Parton's rules for 'open' marriage with husband Carl Dean have been revealed.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
