Willie Nelson is looking back on his friendship and musical history with Dolly Parton, revealing that he spoke with the country icon shortly before her death but had no idea how seriously ill she was.
During a recent conversation with CNN’s Anderson Cooper ahead of Farm Aid 2026, Nelson recalled their last interview together.
“I had no idea,” Nelson said, explaining that Parton appeared to be doing fine when they spoke. Her death soon afterward made that final conversation especially meaningful in hindsight.
Willie Nelson Remembers Dolly’s Early Career
Nelson also shared a favorite memory from Dolly’s early years, when she was appearing on The Porter Wagoner Show before leaving the program in 1974 to pursue a solo career.
Parton famously wrote “I Will Always Love You” as a farewell to Wagoner during that transition. Nelson revealed that he recently recorded his own version of the iconic song, describing it as a great and positive piece of music.
Willie Nelson Opens Up About His Final Conversation With Dolly Parton
Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton’s Musical History
Nelson and Parton shared a long musical connection and collaborated on several songs throughout their careers.
Following Parton’s death, Nelson revisited a performance of their duet “Everything’s Beautiful (In Its Own Way),” which they released in 1982 as part of The Winning Hand. They also recorded “Happy, Happy Birthday Baby” for the same project.
Their collaborations continued decades later. The pair recorded “From Here to the Moon and Back” in 2013, followed by a 2020 version of Nelson’s holiday classic “Pretty Paper.”
During his CNN conversation, Cooper also brought up Parton’s comments about performing with Nelson, particularly the challenge of following his distinctive phrasing.\
Nelson laughed and agreed that his phrasing can be unpredictable, admitting that he doesn’t always perform a song exactly the same way twice.
Their unique musical chemistry became one of the memorable parts of their longtime friendship—and Nelson’s latest comments offer another touching look back at their connection.