What Dolly Parton wants, Dolly Parton gets. And what Dolly Parton has reportedly wanted lately is to see an engagement ring on her friend Reba McEntire’s hand.
According to the Examiner, an inside source reveals Dolly has been turning up the heat on The Voice coach’s boyfriend, Rex Linn, for dragging his heels about proposing.
And it must’ve worked, because Rex popped the question and the pair confirmed their engagement on the Emmys red carpet Sunday, September 14.
And while the pair are just going public with the news, it actually may have happened a little while ago.
A source told PEOPLE, “It happened a few months ago and they are very happy.”
And they’re probably not the only ones. According to the Examiner’s source, Dolly Parton has been working behind the scenes to help make that happen. “Dolly’s [been] telling Rex to stop messing with her friend and that people would be happy if he’d do the right thing. Life is short and Dolly is the first to know that,” the source related. “Besides, she thinks they make a great couple. A holy union would only solidify what they have.”
Rex Linn Has Never Been Married Before
While Reba McEntire has been married twice before, this will be Rex Linn’s first marriage.
The couple first met in 1991 while shooting the Kenny Rogers movie “The Gambler.”
But it took nearly 30 years for romance to blossom. Reba McEntire reconnected with Rex Linn in 2020 while both guest starring on an episode of “Young Sheldon.”
In a 2023 appearance on “Live With Kelly and Ryan,” (now “Live With Kelly and Mark”), Reba said the pair met for dinner in Los Angeles with a group of friends, and “I sidled up to him” she said smiling.
Reba also revealed that after she ordered tater tots that night, Rex gave her the nickname “Tater Tot” and it’s stuck ever since.
Now the two co-star in Reba’s NBC show “Happy’s Place.”
Reba McEntire & Rex Linn Have Date Night at the Emmys
Reba McEntire says she and Rex Linn have been “inseparable” since they locked eyes that fateful night in 2020.
Their latest date night was a glamorous one- both dressed all in black at the 2025 Emmy Awards September 14.
Reba took the stage to perform a tribute to the 40th anniversary of “The Golden Girls” alongside Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman.
On the red carpet, Reba said she still loves “The Golden Girls” and her husband-to-be agreed, saying, “I mean, if you’re not a fan of ‘The Golden Girls,’ it would be like, not liking puppies. I am absolutely a Golden Girl fan.”
In fact, Rex revealed that Reba often watches the show late at night.
The pair have not revealed when they will tie the knot. Will Dolly be there for the I Do’s? We’re betting on yes!
