EXCLUSIVE: Reba McEntire's Guardian Angels — Country Icon Credits Dolly Parton and Vince Gill for Guiding Her Through Gutting Tragedy
Reba McEntire found guardian angels in Dolly Parton and Vince Gill during tragedy.
Feb. 24 2026, Published 6:15 a.m. ET
Country music legend Reba McEntire credits pals Vince Gill and Dolly Parton for helping her get through her life's biggest trauma, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 70-year-old star of Happy's Place reveals her fellow Country Music Hall of Fame members reached out after eight members of her band and other friends perished in a horrific 1991 plane crash.
Country Stars Rallied Around Her
Vince Gill and Dolly Parton supported Reba McEntire after eight band members died in a 1991 plane crash, with Parton telling her, 'Here, take my band.'
"It was really hard for me to get back onstage, but Vince Gill called and said, 'Buddy, I'll be there for you,'" McEntire recalled.
"Dolly Parton said, 'Here, take my band.' It was such a gift to see how many people stepped forward to help, and to reassure, because so many of us had hearts that were broken.'"
Fortunately for McEntire, she was scheduled to fly out of town the next morning, but her grief brought her to her knees.
"I didn't know if I was going to be able to continue," she said. "But it showed me how precious life is, and by the grace of God and my faith, I realized that they went on to a better place."
Tragic Crash Killed Eight Crew
Following the 1991 San Diego crash that killed her band and crew, McEntire released the album 'For My Broken Heart' featuring 'Is There Life Out There.'
The crash claimed the lives of McEntire's tour manager, bandleader, keyboardist, drummer, two guitarists, bassist and vocalist, as well as the two pilots.
They were flying out of San Diego after a concert when their charter jet plane crashed.
McEntire channeled her heartbreak into the critically acclaimed album For My Broken Heart, which was released around eight months after the crash. The project also featured the songs Is There Life Out There, The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, and The Greatest Man I Never Knew.
Ironically, 1991 also brought Reba an unexpected joy. She met her future fiance Rex Linn, although their romantic relationship didn't blossom until 2020 when she appeared on his sitcom Young Sheldon.
Love, Laughter, and Cowboy Life
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Rex Linn and McEntire marked six years together as she called their relationship 'the perfect union.'
"[We] get along in every aspect," gushed McEntire. "He's a better cook than I am, so I like that, for sure. We love the cowboy way of life and we both got into the entertainment industry. He's an actor. I'm a singer. I love to act. Now we act together. So it's just the perfect union, absolutely.
"We argue a lot, but we have fun doing that, too."
Engaged couple Linn and McEntire celebrated six years together last month.
