Tanya Tucker Reveals the Last Thing Dolly Parton Told Her

Tanya Tucker says that Dolly Parton once reminded her to take advantage of all the career opportunities that came her way — even on days when she wasn't feeling her best.

In a new interview with People, Tucker recounts a performance that she and Parton both participated in at the 2019 CMA Awards.

They were both in the all-female, show-opening number, which also included Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Gretchen Wilson, Martina McBride and a slew of other country women.

"I walked over to her in between the takes or the rehearsals...I wasn't feeling well or something," Tucker remembers.

"And she goes, 'You got to make hay while the sun shines.' I said, 'I know that's right,'" she continues. "So that was the last thing I think she said to me."

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No Dolly fan will be too surprised to hear that philosophy: Parton was a famously hard worker, who maintained an active work life with several different business ventures even after she stepped back from touring.

Almost up until her death in late August, Parton was hustling: Her final public appearance was a ribbon-cutting ceremony for her Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stop, two months before she died.

Parton was also working on projects including her Broadway musical and her Songteller Museum and Hotel in the final months of her life.

Parton's final exchange with Tucker also shows how stars push through their tougher days in order to keep the show going — something the country legend herself did, continuing to show up for her fans in full Dolly regalia even as she privately battled cancer.

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Tucker and Parton weren't especially close, but as two veterans of the country music business, they crossed paths on several occasions.

One of those was to record "Romeo," a 1993 Parton-led team effort that also featured Billy Ray Cyrus, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Pam Tillis and Kathy Mattea.

The day Tucker went to the studio and recorded her part was another example of Parton encouraging her to keep moving forward, despite doubts.

"I hadn't heard the song, so obviously there was a little faith there, too. But that faith dwindled when I got to the studio," Tucker remembers. She had her then-six-year-old daughter Presley in the car with her, and circled the studio "about 12 times" as she tried to work up the nerve to park and go inside.

"I finally called Dolly. I was feeling a little insecure, and I said, 'I don't know about my voice. I don't think I'm going to be able to sing tonight,'" she continues. "She said, 'Well, just come on by.' She goes, 'We'll do it, and if you don't like it, we won't use it.'"

They made it inside, and Parton "babysat" Tucker's daughter while she was working. "She had a way with children, for sure," Tucker remembers.

Tucker listened to the song three times back-to-back, went in the vocal booth and laid down her part — and then, Parton came and joined her, and they recorded some extra details for the song singing face-to-face.

"We had so much fun, the two mics facing each other, and she goes, 'You're gonna get me in trouble.' I'd love to hear all those that they didn't use," the singer adds.

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Tucker says that her biggest inspirations in country music were always men — until she got to know Parton.

"When I was a kid growing up in music, my heroes were mostly men — Elvis [Presley] and Merle [Haggard] — and I patterned myself more after them than I did for the women," she tells People. "I mean, I loved Loretta [Lynn]. I sang all her songs, and we were best friends. Tammy [Wynette] and I were very close. But I was always programmed more toward the men."

"And now I've changed my mind. Dolly is the kind of person, the kind of artist [I wanted to be,]" she reflects.

"And the way she handled herself. I mean, she could cuss you out and make you like it," Tucker continues. "She had a way that was amazing, and I want to be more like her because she's done so much."

Dolly Parton died on Aug. 25 at 80 years old. Her death was met with a global outpouring of tributes and remembrances, both because of her massive musical impact and her decades-long legacy of philanthropy and kindness.

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Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak