Dolly Parton Reveals Hidden Elvis Presley Connection In Exclusive Interview
In a recent interview with BBC Radio 2, country music icon Dolly Parton unveiled a little-known and heartwarming connection between her 1973 classic I Will Always Love You and none other than the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.
Dolly shared that Elvis was quite fond of her song, and she even received confirmation of this fact from his wife, Priscilla Presley herself. According to Priscilla, Elvis sang I Will Always Love You to her as they walked down the courthouse steps on the day of their divorce. It was a poignant moment, with the song serving as a lasting memory of their time together.
But the story doesn’t stop there. Elvis was so taken with the song that he expressed a desire to record it. However, a twist in the tale arose when Elvis’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, insisted on owning at least half of the publishing rights to the song. Dolly, despite being “heartbroken” over the decision, declined Elvis’s offer, citing the song’s significance as the “most important copyright” in her entire publishing company.
In a touching tribute to the King of Rock and Roll, Dolly included a song titled I Dreamed of Elvis on her forthcoming album, Rockstar. This song has a unique backstory as well as the Coat Of Many Colors singer revealed that she wrote it two decades ago with The Jordanaires and enlisted Ronnie McDowell, whose vocal stylings bear a striking resemblance to Elvis, to perform the track. The inspiration behind the song was a dream in which she imagined Elvis singing I Will Always Love You. This dream turned into a heartfelt homage to the legendary musician.
Dolly’s Rockstar album is poised to be a true musical treasure trove for fans. Featuring a total of 30 songs, it includes nine original compositions and covers of 20 iconic tracks. The album boasts an impressive lineup of collaborators, including Elton John, Miley Cyrus, Chris Stapleton, Stevie Nicks, Sting, Sheryl Crow, Lizzo, John Fogerty, and many more.
The decision to venture into rock and roll territory for this album was deeply personal for Dolly as she revealed that her motivation came from her husband of 57 years, Carl Thomas Dean, who has always been an avid fan of rock music. Dolly’s desire to create something special for him culminated in the creation of this remarkable album.
