Over the decades, Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton, 78, has scored more than two dozen No. 1 hits on Bulletin boardHot Country Songs chart and wrote thousands of songs. Several became cross-generational hits, including 'Three Doors Down', '9 to 5' and 'I Will Always Love You'. In 2020, Parton collaborated with author and journalist Robert K. Oermann to create the book Songteller: My Life in Lyricswhich highlights the stories behind many of her songs.
In a new interview with The Guardianthe Tennessee native reflected on which songs she's most proud of writing.
“Well, I'm proud of all of them,” Parton said, before narrowing down the field a bit. “I think the one that's more personal to me is lil 'Coat of Many Colors,' because it talks about my mom, my parents, and it gives you a picture. It also covers bullying, acceptance and all that. Of course, the one that has been recorded the most is “Jolene”. This one seems to be a favorite – did you know that the song has been recorded, someone told me, 450 times in the last 52 years? I am so proud of it. And 'I Will Always Love You' is one of the great love songs, so I'm very proud of that.”
“Coat of Many Colors”, inspired by Parton's memory of being teased as a schoolgirl for wearing a coat her mother made for her. Parton released the song in 1971 on her project Coat of many colors. The song peaked at No. 4 on the Hot Country Songs chart, while the album peaked at No. 7 on the Top Country Albums. “Jolene” topped the charts in 1974 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014.
Meanwhile, “I Will Always Love You” is the gift that keeps on giving for Parton. He has topped the Hot Country Songs chart multiple times with the song. He had a solo hit with it in 1974, and then again in 1982 as a mash of “I Will Always Love You” and “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind”. In 1995, he teamed up with Vince Gill for a duet version of the song, sending it back to the top of the chart. And of course, Whitney Houston's unparalleled vocal performance of the song, as part of the soundtrack for The Bodyguardwas the leader for 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1992-1993.
Parton won a songwriting award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) in 1972 for “Coat of Many Colors”. The song was inducted into the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2012 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019.
Parton's duet with Gill earned them a Vocal Event of the Year honor from the CMA Awards and a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Collaboration, both in 1996. The song also earned Parton Grammy nominations for best country vocal performance, female, in 1983. Houston's recording of “I Will Always Love You” was named record of the year at the 1994 Grammys, and she also won best pop female vocal performance for her performance of the song. “I Will Always Love You” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/country/dolly-parton-songs-proud-writing-1235817911/
