DOLLY & REBA AT WAR OVER KENNY!
BATTLING FOR TOP ROLE IN HONORING THE ICON!
FORMER BFFs Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire are battling over how to honor their late pal Kenny Rogers! Insiders claim the country music queens are at each other’s throats over who should call the shots on how to celebrate Kenny’s legacy — and the smackdown is rocking Nashville to its roots! “Dolly and Reba were once the best of friends,” an insider snitched. “But both of them considered themselves Kenny’s closest confidante, and neither one wants to let the other take the lead in paying tribute to him!”
According to sources, 74-year-old Dolly and Reba, 65, competed over the “Gambler” before Kenny died at age 81 on March 20.
Dolly was Kenny’s most successful duet partner, with a slew of hits, including the 1983 classic “Islands in the Stream.”
The “9 to 5” star was stung when Kenny chose Reba to co-star with him in the 1991 TV movie “The Gambler Returns,” sources said.
“All Kenny could talk about was how amazing Reba was — so pretty, so talented, so funny. Dolly got sick of it,” a friend dished.
“But Kenny loved the attention the two gals gave him and often played them against each other.”
After his death, both songbirds immediately rushed to rally the country music community to honor the legendary performer. “Each of them has been calling country music superstars like Garth Brooks and Brad Paisley to join in a live tribute!” sang one source.
“But they both get really annoyed when told that the other had already called for the same reason!”
Now the catfight between Reba and Dolly has sparked rifts within the tightknit country music community!
“Nobody knows which one they should commit to, and some people are choosing sides!” the source said. Desperate to salvage the songbirds’ longtime friendship, several stars are planning an intervention to get them to sit down together, said a source.
It’s hoped Dolly and Reba will meet with Kenny’s widow, Wanda, and his five kids to reach a consensus for the best tribute. The ladies are also battling over building a monument to their friend, according to insiders.
Dolly believes an iconic theater like the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville should be renamed for Kenny, while Reba thinks a new venue should be built in his adopted hometown of Atlanta, where he lived for many years. “They can’t agree about anything!” shrugged an exasperated insider.
Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire did not respond to requests for comment.