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Reba McEntire<\/a>‘s tribute to Dolly Parton<\/a> at the 2026 Primetime Emmys<\/em> was beautiful in song, but some of the most touching details were hidden in plain sight.<\/p>\n McEntire performed Dolly’s 1983 song \u201cAppalachian Memories\u201d during the ceremony, just weeks after Dolly’s death at 80. She didn’t just choose a song with deep meaning to her longtime friend \u2014 she also wore pieces from Dolly’s personal collection.<\/p>\n And one detail of McEntire’s look appears to have reached all the way back to the first time Dolly performed the song herself.<\/p>\n According to The Dolly Archive<\/a> on Instagram, McEntire was \u201cloaned\u201d several pieces from Dolly’s archives for the performance.<\/p>\n That included one of Dolly’s butterfly rings from her \u201cpersonal collection.\u201d Butterflies were one of Dolly’s favorite motifs and appeared frequently in her jewelry, clothing, and other personal style choices.<\/p>\n Read More:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>Dolly Parton\u2019s \u2018Appalachian Memories\u2019 History: A Father\u2019s Story, Name Change + More<\/a><\/p>\n McEntire also wore the statement earrings Dolly wore in the music video for \u201cDoes He Love You,\u201d the 1993 duet she recorded with Dolly.<\/p>\n The jewelry made the tribute feel especially personal. Rather than simply recreating Dolly’s style, McEntire was actually wearing pieces that belonged to her.<\/p>\n Dolly was famously devoted to glamour and believed in going big with her look. As she told Vogue<\/em> in 2020, \u201cI think more is more and whoever made up that \u2018less is more\u2019 is full of it.\u201d<\/p>\n The jewelry wasn’t the only hidden connection in McEntire’s Emmys look.<\/p>\n McEntire wore a custom white pleated gown by Michael Schmidt Studios<\/a>, a style that echoed the white fringed gown Dolly wore when she first performed \u201cAppalachian Memories\u201d live during her 1983 television special Live in London.<\/p>\n That’s a remarkable bit of symmetry: More than four decades after Dolly introduced the song in a white gown, McEntire performed it in a look inspired by that original appearance.<\/p>\n The tribute also brought Dolly’s own voice back into the moment. Before McEntire performed, the broadcast played a clip of Dolly introducing the song herself in 1983.<\/p>\n I grew up in the Smoky Mountains, the Appalachian Mountains. I have written a song that touches me very deep. This song, like I say, is very important to me. And I hope you like it. If you don\u2019t like it, if you don\u2019t mind, I would rather not hear about it later.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Between Dolly’s jewelry, the nod to her original gown, and the sound of Dolly herself<\/a> introducing the song, McEntire’s performance was filled with little reminders of the woman she was there to honor.<\/p>\n Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReba’s Accessory Tribute to Dolly<\/h3>\n
Reba’s Gown Was a Nod to Dolly, Too<\/h3>\n
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Watch Reba’s ‘Appalachian Memories’ Tribute to Dolly Parton:<\/h3>\n
See Pictures of Dolly Parton, Through the Years<\/h2>\n