The Truth About Dolly Parton's Friendship With Loretta Lynn

Dolly Parton is one of the most recognizable people in country music, with hits like "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You." She's collaborated with numerous artists over the years and made waves when she partnered with Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn in 1993 for their "Honky Tonk Angels” album. It went on to achieve certified gold status about two months after its release. 

"Honky Tonk Angels" also took the number six spot on the Billboard Country Album chart and number 42 on the Billboard 200 chart, according to Parton's website. The album included the hit song "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," which received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Collaboration, despite getting little radio time, per Taste of Country.

In addition to their collaboration on the album, Lynn appeared on an episode of Parton's TV show, "The Dolly Show," according to Country Rebel. The pair sang a medley of Lynn's greatest hits, including "Coal Miner's Daughter," "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)," and "Don't Come Home A Drinkin'." Parton and Lynn spent plenty of time in the studio together, but do they have a relationship outside of their music? Keep reading for more details.

Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn have been friends for decades

Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn's friendship dates back to the '60s when they burst onto the country music scene. They remained close and have celebrated each other's milestones throughout their careers. In 2019, Lynn tweeted to congratulate Parton on the 50th anniversary of her induction into the Grand Ole Opry. She wrote, "Congrats to my dear friend, @DollyParton, for celebrating 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole @Opry. She's my mountain sister. I love her music and I will always love her."

Plus, in December 2019, Parton shared a throwback picture of her and Lynn, captioning it "Friends forever." And in a 2019 interview with SiriusXM, Lynn said there was some friendly country competition between her and Parton but that they were still close friends. Then, in January 2020, Parton kicked off a meme challenge that quickly became known as the "Dolly Parton Challenge," and Lynn followed suit with her own take. The meme has social media users share photos of themselves that they'd use as profile pictures on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Tinder. Parton's post went viral, with more than a million likes, and Lynn's post got plenty of love, too. 

Parton and Lynn are definitely #friendshipgoals, and their social media interactions are always a treat for fans.