Every detail of Reba McEntire‘s CMA tribute performance to Dolly Parton was carefully chosen. She performed “He’s Alive,” a song originally released by Don Francisco, which Parton recorded for her 1989 White Limozeen album.
Fans have looked to McEntire for remembrances of Parton, since the two shared a decades-long friendship.
They also shared a strong faith, something that McEntire’s performance at CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton highlighted. “He’s Alive” is a joyful expression of Jesus’ enduring love and life.
But the performance’s full-circle connection to Dolly Parton doesn’t stop there. McEntire’s time on stage closely mirrored a performance of “He’s Alive” that Parton gave at the CMA Awards in 1989.
Reba McEntire’s “He’s Alive” Was a Callback to Dolly Parton’s Famous Performance of the Song
The same year that Parton included a cover of “He’s Alive” on White Limozeen, she also sang the song at the 1989 CMA Awards.
Parton wore a white dress with draped sleeves for that performance, so that when she held out her arms, the fabric hung down like two white wings.
For the final chorus of the song, a choir filed out and joined her onstage, highlighting the emotional crescendo of the song.
The following year, she’d give another performance of “He’s Alive” at the Dove Awards, using a choir and a white, ethereal outfit to perform once again.
That’s exactly how McEntire chose to tribute her late friend: McEntire wore a white gown with long, fringed sleeves as a nod to Parton’s original outfit, and bringing out the Belmont University Choir to sing for the triumphant final chorus.
Dolly Parton Once Explained to Reba McEntire What “He’s Alive” Meant to Her
Parton’s stage outfits were often meaningful to her, and she once told Reba McEntire that the dress she wore to perform “He’s Alive” was particularly special.
During a TalkShopLive conversation back in February — just months before Parton’s death — McEntire asked the legend to speak about one of her all-time favorite outfits. X user Louisa Clary recently resurfaced that interview.
“The dress that stands out in my mind is the white dress that I wore back when…I did the CMAs when I did the song ‘He’s Alive.’ That song was so powerful and I did it that night with the Christ Church Choir,” Parton remembered.
“When the choir came in I raised my arms, that one particular dress, it almost had wings on it, and I just felt like I had been lifted up in spirit,” she continued. “Every time I see that dress…every time I see a picture of it, I just kind of relive that moment.”
“I remember the outfit you’re talking about. You did look like an angel walking out. And then the choir,” McEntire responded.
“If everybody didn’t start believing after that song, don’t know what we can do with them,” she added.
For McEntire, the performance wasn’t just about honoring her friend. It was also about reminding the audience of one of Parton’s all-time most powerful performances of faith.
What Did Reba McEntire Say After Dolly Parton Died?
Though Reba McEntire grieved Dolly Parton’s death along with the rest of the world, she also knew that Parton’s transition to heaven was not a sad occasion.
During a recent stop on The Jennifer Hudson Show, McEntire said she was filming Happy’s Place the day that Parton died, and when the news broke, her fellow cast members started offering her condolences.
Read More: Reba McEntire Reminded People Not to Be Too Sad About Dolly Parton’s Death: She’s ‘Going Home’
“Everybody was like, ‘Oh, Reba, so sorry.’ I was like, ‘Don’t say you’re sorry. This gal’s going home,” McEntire recounted. “She knows where she’s going. It’s a huge celebration.”
30 Photos of Dolly Parton Young
Dolly Parton has been a fixture in country music and really, all of entertainment, since the 1960s. The only thing that has changed about the icon is her age — she’s as radiant as she’s ever been! Check out these pictures of a young Dolly Parton.
Gallery Credit: Evan Paul
