The entertainment world has been shaken by the passing of Robert Redford at the age of 89, but perhaps no one felt the loss more deeply than Dolly Parton. The country music legend broke down in tears during a private interview, sharing the final text messages she exchanged with Redford just days before his passing.

“He was one of the dearest friends I ever had,” Dolly said, her iconic voice cracking with emotion. “When I heard the news, I just sat down and cried. Robert wasn’t just a movie star — he was a true gentleman, a beautiful soul. We had a friendship that went far beyond Hollywood and Nashville.”

The two icons first met in the early 1980s at a charity event in Los Angeles. Dolly recalled how nervous she was meeting him, having admired him since Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. “He had that grin, that charm, that twinkle in his eye,” she said. “But he was so down to earth. We started talking about music, then about life, and before I knew it, we were laughing like old friends.”

Over the decades, Dolly and Redford stayed close, supporting each other through highs and lows. She shared that Robert was one of the first to call her after the passing of her longtime duet partner and dear friend Porter Wagoner. “He didn’t just send flowers — he called me and said, ‘Dolly, I know what it’s like to lose someone who’s been with you through everything. Take all the time you need to grieve, but never stop singing.’ I never forgot that.”

Their bond was private, but deep. Dolly revealed that they would often send each other messages about their projects, hopes, and the state of the world. “We talked about everything — from songwriting to the beauty of the mountains to the importance of using our voices for good,” she said.

But it was Robert’s final message that left Dolly completely heartbroken. Through tears, she read it aloud:

“My dear Dolly, I’m sitting on the porch tonight, watching the sunset. It’s beautiful — reminds me of the last time we were in Tennessee together, laughing and singing on your back porch. I feel my time is getting near, but I’m at peace. Promise me you’ll keep writing those songs that make the world a little softer, a little kinder. And promise me you’ll smile when you think of me, because I’ll be smiling too.”

As Dolly read those words, her voice broke and she had to pause. “I just can’t believe he’s gone,” she whispered. “Robert was a part of my heart. Knowing that he was thinking of me in those last days is both a blessing and a heartbreak.”

She went on to share that Redford’s philosophy on life had inspired some of her music over the years. “He always said the world needed more honesty and more heart. I tried to put that into my songs — that little bit of hope and truth he always carried with him.”

Dolly also revealed that she and Redford had once discussed working together on a film, a country music drama that sadly never happened. “He told me, ‘Someday we’ll make something beautiful together.’ We never got to do it, but I think the beauty we shared was in our friendship,” she said, tears streaming down her face.

Fans around the world have been deeply moved by Dolly’s tribute, flooding her social media with messages of support. One fan wrote, “Hearing Dolly read Robert’s final words broke me. Their friendship was something special, and we can all feel it.” Another said, “This is what true love and respect look like — two legends who never forgot to be human.”

In honor of Redford, Dolly announced that she plans to write a new song dedicated to him, titled Porch Light, inspired by his last message. “I want it to be a song about sitting on the porch at the end of a long day, finding peace, and remembering the people we’ve loved,” she said. “Robert would have liked that.”

Hollywood and the music industry continue to pour out tributes to Redford, but Dolly’s words have struck a particularly powerful chord. She ended her statement with a message to fans: “Let’s all take a little piece of Robert with us — his kindness, his courage, his love for the earth and for people. If we do that, then he’s never really gone.”

Later that night, Dolly posted a photo on Instagram of a Tennessee sunset, along with the caption: “This one’s for you, Robert. I kept my promise — I smiled.” The image went viral, with millions of likes and comments, many saying they too smiled through their tears.

For Dolly, the grief is still raw, but she says she finds comfort in the thought that Redford is finally at peace. “He loved the sunset because it meant the promise of another day,” she said softly. “I think that’s how I’ll remember him — not as an ending, but as the light that comes before the dawn.”