Reba McEntire Emotionally Recalls How Dolly Parton Helped Her After Losing Entire Band In 1991 Plane Crash

 

Dolly Parton with Reba McEntire.

LEFT: Reba McEntire shed tears remembering her lost band. (ACM / YouTube) RIGHT: The 60th Anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)

Reba McEntire Shared A Story Of Dolly Parton’s Extreme Kindness

If you’ve been a devoted country music fan for a while, you’ve likely heard the heartbreaking story of how Reba McEntire lost all her band members in a tragic plane crash.

On March 16, 1991, at 2 AM, Reba received a call in her hotel room with the devastating news that she had lost her entire band along with her tour manager. They were departing from one of her recent shows in San Diego, where they had just performed for a group of IBM executives, and were heading to Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Tragically, those who lost their lives that day included:

Jim Hammon (tour manager), Kirk Cappello (keyboardist), Joey Cigainero (keyboardist), Tony Saputo (drummer), Michael Thomas (guitarists), Chris Austin (guitarists), Terry Jackson (bassist), Paula Kaye Evans (backup singer), Donald Holmes (pilot), and Christopher Hollinger (pilot).

Reba was supposed to be on the plane, but decided at the last minute to remain in San Diego because she was feeling a bit unwell.

Her husband at the time, Narvel Blackstock, and her stylist, Sandy Spika, stayed with her while the rest of her crew took two separate planes, one of which crashed.

Reba was awarded the Top Female Vocalist at the ACM Awards that year and dedicated her win to her lost bandmates shortly after the crash. You can watch her heartfelt speech below.

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Dolly Parton Offered The Most Stunning Show Of Support

What many might not realize, as Reba shared in an interview with Variety Magazine, is that Dolly Parton reached out to offer her immense support.

In 2021, Dolly Parton and Reba McIntyre collaborated on the song “Does He Love You?” Check out their official music video below.

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When discussing the song with a reporter, Reba mentioned that Dolly Parton had called her and offered her entire band so Reba could continue touring.

“‘What do you need? Do you want my band?’ She sent Gary Smith, her band leader, to put a band together for me. She and Vince Gill were right there for me the whole time.”

This kind act isn’t unusual for Dolly Parton, yet it’s clear it still touches Reba’s heart to this day. Vince Gill also offered to play in her band and sing with her if needed. Reba’s two friends showed up for her when she needed them.

The connection between an artist and their band is incredibly significant, with some bandmates touring alongside the same artist for lifetimes.

Dolly Parton extending this offer was no small gesture. Watch her heartfelt interview below.