Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Ever Wondered If Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton Became More Than Just Friends?

Did Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton Ever Date?
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton have been friends and longtime collaborators for many years – undoubtedly one of the most successful partnerships in country music. And every time they share the stage, you’ll get nothing but pure magic. From duets such as “Real Love,” “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” and “Islands in the Stream,” any country fan will tell that the two talented singers were a match made in heaven!

This makes a lot of us wonder, did they ever – at some point in their careers – tuned out to be more than friends? In fact, both country music icons have always been targeted by the tabloid press regarding the issue.

But both Rogers and Parton insist there was never anything romantic ever happened between them.

According to the country queen, it did not even cross their minds for once. After all, she’s been married to her husband Carl Thomas Dean since 1966. Though the two country legends admit at some point that they were “soul partners,” Parton said that they were almost like brothers and sisters.

“There are different kinds of soul mates, but with Kenny, I just see him, and I smile,” Parton said.

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s friendship started way back in the 1970s when they met in Nashville while they were still both new to the music industry. Their first union was when Rogers appeared on Parton’s syndicated variety show on ABC after the “Jolene” singer was scrambling to book an artist for the program.

Parton said she will never forget how Rogers has always been there for her as a friend.

Since then, the two music icons started teaming up and working together more and more. They’ve appeared on stage together countless times over the decades and released songs that endured the test of time.

Indeed, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton got this one-of-a-kind friendship.

Latest Stories

Priscilla Presley poses in a black ruffled blouse with dark red lipstick and auburn hair, attending a formal event years after her life with Elvis Presley, still carrying the legacy of their enduring love story.

Where Is Priscilla Presley Now and Why She Never Remarried After Elvis Presley

There are love stories, and then there’s Elvis and Priscilla. A whirlwind of fame, obsession, heartbreak, and a connection so deep it’s still pulsing five decades after it blew apart. ...

Jamey Johnson and his wife Brittney Eakins smile at each other in wedding attire by a scenic river, celebrating their unique love story that began with a proposal the day after they met.

Jamey Johnson Proposed to His Wife Brittney the Day After They Met and She Said Yes

Jamey Johnson doesn’t date. He decides. And apparently, he decided the moment he met Brittney Eakins because this outlaw son of Alabama met a woman, looked her dead in the ...

Beyoncé performs in a white rhinestone western outfit and cowboy hat during her Cowboy Carter era, drawing controversy after receiving country award nominations at the 2025 AMAs.

Beyoncé Got Two Country Nods at the 2025 AMAs While Real Country Artists Got Nothing

Let’s not sugarcoat this. Beyoncé just scored two country nominations at the 2025 American Music Awards, and half the artists actually living, breathing, and bleeding this genre didn’t get a ...

Breanna Nix hugs her young son backstage as she prepares for her Grand Ole Opry debut, radiating joy ahead of her biggest country music milestone yet.

Breanna Nix Will Make Her Grand Ole Opry Debut and She’s Bringing the Fire With Her

Third place? Nah. Breanna Nix didn’t come off American Idol with a consolation prize. She walked out with a calling. Just days after closing out Season 23 as the sleeper ...

John Foster performs onstage in a tan jacket and cowboy hat, holding a guitar and singing into a microphone under purple lighting.

John Foster Believes There Was a Bigger Reason He Came Second on American Idol

John Foster didn’t come in first on American Idol but let’s be real. The trophy ain’t what gets you to Nashville. It’s what you do after the cameras shut off ...

Dolly Parton stands on stage holding a microphone, wearing a white blazer and black gloves, speaking passionately with two pastel armchairs behind her under soft lighting.

Dolly Parton Reveals the Cost Behind the Career Everyone Thinks Is Perfect

Everyone wants the rhinestones. Nobody signs up for the grindstone. At 79 years old, Dolly Parton stood at the opening of her own Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit and ...

Tim McGraw and George Strait stand side by side onstage, smiling with arms raised and guitars in hand, sharing a moment of camaraderie and mutual respect during a live performance.

Tim McGraw Says He Passed on “Carrying Your Love With Me” Out of Respect for George Strait

Tim McGraw has never been short on hits. The guy basically owned the ’90s. But even legends have moments they look back on and think, “Damn, that one got away.” ...

Riley Green and Randy Houser perform with acoustic guitars onstage at Sand In My Boots Fest, honoring Toby Keith with fiery renditions of his classic songs.

Riley Green and Randy Houser Honor Toby Keith With His Classics at Sand In My Boots Fest

If you were down in Gulf Shores this weekend and didn’t feel the ground shake when Riley Green and Randy Houser tore into “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” check your pulse. ...

Tim McGraw speaks into a podcast microphone, reflecting on aging in country music and saying he's done singing about bikinis and tailgate parties at 58.

Tim McGraw Says He’s 58 Now and Done Singing About Bikinis and Tailgate Parties

Tim McGraw just reminded everyone in Nashville that growing older doesn’t mean growing irrelevant. It means growing up. On a recent episode of TL’s Road House with Tracy Lawrence, McGraw ...

Morgan Wallen sits beside his son in a utility vehicle, smiling as he embraces fatherhood—a turning point that made him more selective about the people in his life.

Becoming a Dad Made Morgan Wallen Rethink Who He Lets Near His Circle

Morgan Wallen didn’t wake up one day and decide to grow up. He got shoved into it. Hard. Fame, scandals, arrest headlines, and enough “my bads” to fill an entire ...