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.
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.
An Unfortunate Ending
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.
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.
Dolly's Writing Journey
Despite being mostly known as a singer at this point, Dolly built the foundation of her success in songwriting. Unlike many singers, she wrote most of her own songs and was responsible for writing various hit singles throughout the years. Some of her songs, such as "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" have become known in almost every household across the United States and around the world.
Parton was nominated for a Best Original Song Academy Award multiple times and has also been nominated for the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and the Golden Globe for Best Original song in 2005. Dolly captured the hearts of millions throughout her long career and in addition to her musical talents, she was also a savvy businesswoman.