Reba McEntire: Kenny Rogers ‘Saved My Sanity’ After Plane Crash

Not long after Reba McEntire lost most of her band in a plane crash, Kenny Rogers came calling. He had a job for her, and in looking back at the fellow country legend's legacy, McEntire recognized how important that gesture was to her healing.

McEntire, who once toured Australia with Rogers, worked with Rogers on one of his made-for-TV The Gambler movies in November of 1991, seven months after the plane crash killed eight members of her team, including her manager.

"Kenny saved my sanity in '91 when he asked me to come do The Gambler movie," McEntire told media in 2020, referring to NBC's The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw. "I was still in a state of disbelief and not knowing what I’m gonna do moving forward after the plane crash."

The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw was the fourth of five movies based on his hit song "The Gambler." In the film, McEntire plays Burgundy Jones, who's trying to get Rogers' character Brady Hawkes to a big gambling tournament. Clips from her appearance are available on YouTube; find her about 90 seconds into this tense scene:

"I miss him so much," McEntire says of Rogers. "He’s such a special person and a big-hearted giver."

Rogers died of natural causes at his home on March 20, 2020. He was the first Country Music Hall of Famer to die in 2020, with Charlie Daniels being the other.

McEntire had equally fond memories of Daniels, recalling a tour she did with him and Alabama. "First night of the tour Charlie sent me a huge bouquet of roses. I’ll never forget it. What a gentleman," she remarks.

WATCH: What Caused Reba McEntire's Plane to Crash?