Tributes continue to pour in for Dolly Parton, and Lainey Wilson is remembering the country legend as more than one of her biggest musical influences.
According to her post, Parton called Wilson just a couple of weeks before her passing. Wilson said they talked about everything from the music business and the sacrifices that come with it to their relationships and faith.
“My Dolly. 💛 I felt like you were my friend before we even met.. you made everybody feel that way,” Wilson wrote. “But once we became friends, boy did we have a lot to talk about…”
Dolly Parton Gave Lainey Wilson Advice During Their Final Call
Wilson said she was grateful the two had the chance to speak so recently.
During the call, they talked about Parton’s late husband, Carl Dean, and Wilson’s husband, former NFL player and real estate agent Devlin “Duck” Hodges.
Parton also gave Wilson some relationship advice, telling her that while it was important Hodges gave her room to be herself, Wilson needed to make sure she offered him the same in return.
“You told me that ‘it’s all great and stuff that Duck lets you be you, but you better make sure you let Duck be himself too,’” Wilson recalled.
Their conversation also turned to faith. Wilson said Parton encouraged her to take her time reading the book of Revelation and joked that she might need to return to Psalms “to catch my breath.”
The pair also talked about something they felt they had in common: a calling to make music. Wilson said Parton told her she did not feel like she was finished.
“Well my friend, you are not,” Wilson wrote. “The kind of love and light you shined in your lifetime is the kind that never goes away.”
Lainey Wilson Says Dolly Parton Became a ‘Dear Friend’
Parton had been one of Wilson’s biggest inspirations long before the two became close.
Wilson previously said “What would Dolly do?” became something of a guide for her as she built her own career. She eventually had the chance to work with Parton in the studio, including recording “Mama He’s Crazy” together for a Judds tribute album.
Their bond continued to grow over the years. In February 2026, Wilson spoke about their friendship during an appearance on Nova 96.9’s “Ricki-Lee & Tim” in Sydney, Australia.
“It’s insane. She has become a dear friend, which is also weird for me to say,” Wilson said, according to Billboard.
Wilson also praised Parton for the path she created for other artists and for her success beyond music, calling her an “incredible human businesswoman.”
In her latest tribute, Wilson said she was thankful Parton shared her gift with the world and grateful she personally got to know the woman she had admired for years.
She also imagined the two seeing each other again someday, joking that Parton would probably still tell her, “don’t mess up hair, Lainey girl.”
Wilson closed her message with a simple goodbye to her mentor and friend: “I will always love you, my friend. 💛🦋”
