Despite their captivating on-screen chemistry, things were not so great behind the scenes for Parton and Wagoner. They both knew what was best. Taking the move was difficult for Wagoner, however, Dolly knew what had to be done. It was time to part their ways.
Things really got bad when Wagoner officially sued Dolly for breach of contract. This started a long beef that continued for decades between the two. Although the two were officially separated when it came to business, their bond was much stronger. Just before leaving, Dolly recorded a wonderful song just for Wagoner.
Dolly and Dean
Dolly and Carl Thomas Dean, a retired asphalt road-paving company owner, got married in early 1966. Despite the singer's popularity, Dean was much more secluded and rarely appeared at public events. Dolly also claims that her husband has only seen her perform once throughout her entire career but maintains that they have a very loving and romantic marriage nonetheless.
When asked in 2011 about the state of her marriage to Dean, the singer said, "We're really proud of our marriage. It's a first for both of us. And the last." The two have renewed their vows in 2016 after five decades of marriage, and appear to be going strong. This is an extremely rare case in the entertainment industry, which just goes to show what an incredible and loving person Dolly is.
Establishing Her Own Brand
Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner were a huge thing back in the early ‘70s. The two were selling hit singles like lemonade on a hot summer's day. Everything they did together worked out successfully. They were involved in everything from a combined musical career to a duet tour and even hosted "The Porter Wagoner Show" together.
Unfortunately, as great as they were alongside one another, Dolly knew her dream was to establish herself as a solo artist. The two officially announced the end of their partnership on February 19, 1974, after more than seven years of working together.
I Will Always Love You
Arguably one of Dolly Parton’s greatest hits "I Will Always Love You" is a beautiful ballad of heartfelt emotions. Parton dedicated the song specifically to Wagoner. When asked about its meaning she told CMT that the song is about her departure and about the fact that she will never stop loving him. She loved him, that was for sure, but knew it was time to move on.
Dolly shared the song with Porter. He cried while listening to it and said that was the prettiest song he has ever heard. He set her free and said she could go providing he could produce the record. And so he did.
Healing Their Divisions
Dolly and Wagoner were estranged both personally and professionally for several decades since their unfortunate departure. This was particularly sad considering that the older country icon was responsible for much of the foundation of Parton’s success. Still, Dolly certainly came through and managed to fix things towards the end.
Back in 2007, when Wagoner was 80 years old, the loving singer visited him just before he was about to lose a long battle. His medical situation was poor. Dolly stayed with him all the way until the very end.