Riding on the back of her success with Wagoner, Dolly decided to try her luck as a solo country artist. In 1968, she released her first solo single with RCA Victor, “Just Because I’m a Woman”, and reached number seventeen on the country charts. For more than two years the singer worked hard to position herself as a successful solo artist, however, things weren’t going for her and nothing seemed to work.
She received various awards for her duets with Wagoner and was even named with him as the Vocal Group of the Year by the Country Music Association but she wanted more. She wanted to be admired in her own right and not only as part of a duo. Wagoner believed in Dolly and was willing to stake some serious financial resources in seeing her succeed. Eventually, after a long and frustrating period, he had a brilliant idea, and asked Parton to cover Jimmie Rodgers’ “Mule Skinner Blues”.
First Hit Single
When Monument Records approached Dolly in 1965, she was still just 19 years old, but as ready as anyone can be for performing. The studio had initially thought of her as a mainstream bubblegum pop singer, but the singer was adamant that she wanted a career in country music. Monument initially resisted the idea, mostly because they believed her unique voice was not suited for the genre.
The young aspiring singer kept releasing singles until one of them made the list. It was the song "Put It Off Until Tomorrow", which she recorded with Bill Phillips. With all that effort, however, she remained uncredited for that song. The song got to number six on the country chart and the studio gave her the green light to record a country album. She soon released her first album titled "Hello, I'm Dolly".
Teaming Up With Wagoner
Thanks to her rising popularity and promising future, Dolly was approached in 1967 by Porter Wagoner with an opportunity. The beloved country star and entertainer invited Dolly, who'd been in Nashville for just three years at this point, to work with him on various projects. The young singer got to participate in Wagoner's beloved TV program "The Porter Wagoner Show" and even took part in his roadshows.
Porter Wagoner was originally accompanied by Norma Jean, who was widely beloved among his fans. When Parton replaced her audiences were very public about their disapproval but over time Parton managed to gain the love of his audiences and was even signed on to Wagoner's label, RCA Victor. The two immediately hit it big and released hit after hit for a full six years enjoying much success, fame, and fortune in the process.
First Taste of Solo Success
Wagoner's gamble was successful, as Parton's rendition of "Mule Skinner Blues" reached number three in the charts. The next single, "Joshua", was her first one to be ranked first place. From there, Parton enjoyed two years of a steady succession of solo hits including her signature song "Coat of Many Colors". She was enjoying massive success both as a solo musician and in her duets with Wagoner.
In April 1974, the two made their last performance as a team and transitioned from a duet into business partners. Dolly was on fire and even managed to compose both "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" in a single songwriting session. From there, the sky was looking clear for Dolly, and she became very interested in transitioning into the mainstream Pop music genre. She was the hottest new name around.
Becoming a National Sensation
By the late '70s, Dolly's career was skyrocketing with many consecutive hit singles and even her very own variety show called "Dolly!". She began getting covered by various upcoming performers and her family members were getting recording contracts thanks to having the same family name. Around that time, Parton had her sights set on going mainstream by changing her style to pop music and she set out on an aggressive crossover campaign.
She hired Sandy Gallin and Gary Klein, two known names in the industry, to help her out. By 1977 her album "Here You Come Again" sold over a million copies and her crossover albums were just as successful. The talented singer was a national success story.