Cher Says Dolly Parton Kept Her Cancer Struggle Private Because She Believed the 'Best Was Going to Happen': 'That's Who She Was'

Cher is remembering her longtime friend Dolly Parton.

Following Parton's death after a brief battle with cancer, Cher spoke with Gayle King and Tony Dokoupil on CBS News about the country star and explained why she wasn't surprised that Parton chose to keep her health struggles private.

Cher confessed she was surprised to hear about Parton’s death as she started to cry. As the conversation continued, however, Cher explained that it was in the country icon's "spirit" to keep the details of her health battle quiet.

"No matter what was happening, she was either going to go with it, or it was going to get better," Cher said. "She just had a spirit, and it was a spirit that was always thinking the best was happening, the best was going to happen. Her friends loved her, her life was good, you know? That’s who she was."

Cher recalled the first time she met Parton at their late manager Sandy Gallin’s house, sharing the story with CBS News.

"I walked in and I see this chick with, like. this major hair, white pants and ... a white jacket-y shirt, but it’s bitter tight. And I look up and ... my God, I’ve never seen so many buttons in my life," Cher described. "I went to Sandy, and I said, 'Sandy, who is that girl?' And he said, 'You know what, Cher, you better love her, she’s gonna love you.' And it was the truth, and we did."

Cher said Parton just had a way of connecting with people that was contagious.

"When she walked across the stage, every once and a while, she would bend over to reach out, like, she reached out to the audience and she reached out to the people who were closest to her and she smiled. You know, it’s a gift—you don’t come by that gift," she added.

Cher shared that she will miss her friend’s laugh the most, and that her two favorite Parton songs are "Islands in the Stream" and "I Will Always Love You."

As OK! previously reported, Parton passed away on Tuesday, August 25.

Representatives for the country singer told TMZ that she was surrounded by her family at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn., at the time of her death.

Sources told the news outlet that the star's death was "sudden" even for her family, who knew she was sick but thought she would "pull through." Parton was previously hospitalized with "kidney and autoimmune issues" days before her death on August 20.