Dolly Parton wrote thousands of songs during her extraordinary career, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.” But even one of country music’s greatest songwriters has occasionally heard a song and thought, I wish I’d written that.
One of those songs was a classic from Journey.
While discussing her 2023 rock album, Rockstar, Parton revealed that she wished she had written “Open Arms,” the soaring power ballad originally recorded by Journey in 1982.
“I wish I had written it,” Parton said in an interview with The Music.
The song held an especially personal connection for Parton because of her late husband, Carl Dean.
Dolly Parton Wanted to Record ‘Open Arms’ With Kenny Rogers
“Open Arms” was written by Journey’s Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain and became one of the band’s signature ballads after appearing on the 1981 album Escape.
Parton had long admired the song. Dean did, too.
“My husband always loved it and always thought I should have recorded it with Kenny Rogers,” Parton explained.
Parton and Rogers had a celebrated musical friendship, recording together on songs including their 1983 hit “Islands in the Stream.” Dean apparently thought “Open Arms” could have been another memorable collaboration for the pair.
The opportunity never came.
Years later, Parton finally found a way to record the song herself.
Dolly Parton Finally Got Her Chance
When Parton began putting together Rockstar, her ambitious 2023 album of rock covers and original songs, “Open Arms” immediately came to mind.
There was one person she particularly wanted involved: Perry, who had originally sung the Journey version.
“So, when I started doing the rock album, I thought, well, I’m going to record ‘Open Arms,’ and then I’m going to ask Steve Perry to sing it with me,” Parton said.
Perry agreed, joining Parton for a new version of the song.
The collaboration gave Parton something she had never quite managed during Dean’s lifetime: the chance to record one of his favorite songs with the singer who made it famous.
It was also a fitting choice for an artist who had spent her own career proving that a great song could cross musical boundaries.
Parton had already written songs that became massive hits for other artists, most famously Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You.” But “Open Arms” represented the other side of songwriting, the rare song she heard and wished she could have claimed as her own.
Parton died at the age of 80. Her family shared the news on Aug. 25, 2026.
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