When Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton finally teamed up for a duet in 2021, it was a true “legends only” moment for country music fans.
Surprisingly, despite their long-running careers and iconic status, the two country queens had never recorded a song together—until they joined forces to reimagine “Does He Love You.”
Originally recorded by McEntire and Linda Davis in 1993, the emotional ballad tells the story of a wife and a mistress questioning whether a man truly loves either of them. Written by Sandy Knox and Billy Stritch, the song became a country classic, making McEntire and Davis’ version a Grammy-winning hit.
Nearly three decades later, McEntire and Parton put their own spin on the song, releasing it as part of McEntire’s 2021 three-disc album, Revived Remixed Revisited. Fans were thrilled, and the duet quickly landed in the Top 50 of Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart.
“It turned out really good,” Parton shared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. “I have always wanted to sing with her, and I don’t know why we never did it until now. But we really sounded good together, and I think the fans are going to like it.”
A Dream Collaboration Finally Comes to Life
McEntire was just as excited about the long-overdue duet.
“It’s amazing that we’ve never done a duet,” she admitted. “We’ve never [sung] together. I’ve gone on programs to sing for her, and she’s done that for me. But to never sing a song together is kinda weird.”
Beyond recording the song, the country legends also filmed a cinematic music video, bringing the song’s dramatic storyline to life. Set in a dimly lit club, the video features McEntire and Parton facing off across a table, each with a drink in hand, their emotions palpable. The tension builds until the two take the stage for the song’s powerful conclusion.
For McEntire, filming with Parton was just as special as recording with her.
“My favorite part of shooting the video with Dolly was getting to visit with her in between shots,” McEntire revealed. “Second was singing with her. But to get to hang out and just visit like girlfriends was so much fun… I loved the play acting we got to do. [At first] we were women at odds, and not liking each other. But by the end, we were like, ‘Ah, you can have him, I don’t want him.’ It was a lot of fun.”
Will There Be Another Duet?
The question on every fan’s mind: Will Reba and Dolly collaborate again?
According to McEntire, the answer might be yes!
“We did talk about doing more stuff together, and I hope that happens, because I loved working with her,” she teased. “She’s a professional, she’s fun, funny, witty. I could sit and listen to her talk all day long.”
While there’s no official word on a future duet, one thing is certain—country music history was made when these two legends finally came together, and fans are hoping for an encore.
