Dolly Parton’s 1974 hit “I Will Always Love You” has been ranked among her greatest songs of all time, placing the country classic among the singer-songwriter’s most important recordings.
The ranking comes as fans continue to remember Parton and her decades-long career. Collider placed “I Will Always Love You” at No. 2 on its list of the 10 greatest Dolly Parton songs, pointing to the song’s emotional story, Parton’s original recording and the enormous success that followed Whitney Houston’s 1992 version.
The song was written by Parton as she prepared to leave The Porter Wagoner Show and begin a solo career. Rather than turning the end of her professional relationship with Porter Wagoner into an angry goodbye, Parton wrote a song about leaving while still expressing love and good wishes.
Dolly Parton performs at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, Illinois, July 16, 1978.Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
That personal story helped make “I Will Always Love You” more than just another country hit. It became one of Parton’s best-known songs and later reached audiences around the world through Houston’s version for the 1992 film The Bodyguard.
Parton wrote “I Will Always Love You” in 1973 for Wagoner, her business partner and mentor. She had joined The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967 and remained with the program for seven years.
The song became Parton’s way of telling Wagoner that she wanted to move forward with her own career.
Per People, Parton’s recollection in Ken Burns’ 2019 documentary Country Music shared how she decided to follow the advice she often gave herself as a songwriter: “Do what you do best, just write a song.”
She brought the song to Wagoner and performed it for him. Parton recalled that Wagoner cried as she sang. He reportedly told her it was the best thing she had written and agreed that she could leave if he could produce the record.
Wagoner did produce the recording, and the song became part of Parton’s next chapter as a solo artist.
“I Will Always Love You” was released as a single on March 18, 1974. It was the second single from Parton’s album Jolene. The original recording reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and became one of the best-selling singles of 1974.
The song also earned Parton the Female Vocalist of the Year award at the 1975 CMA Awards.
Its success did not end with the original release. Parton recorded the song again in 1982 for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. That version also reached No. 1 on the country chart, giving Parton the rare achievement of taking the same song to the top spot twice.
While “I Will Always Love You” was already a major country song, Whitney Houston gave it a new life in 1992.
Houston recorded a pop-ballad version for The Bodyguard, her film debut opposite Kevin Costner. Her recording became a massive international success and spent a record 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time.
Houston’s version also won two Grammys in 1994: Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Parton presented Houston with the latter award.
The success of Houston’s recording also brought major financial returns to Parton. Parton made $10 million in royalties during the 1990s from Houston’s version. She later used the money to purchase an office complex in a Black community in Nashville, according to Forbes.
Parton described the property as “the house that Whitney built.”
Before Houston recorded the song, Parton offered “I Will Always Love You” to Patti LaBelle. Elvis Presley also wanted to record the song after Parton’s 1974 version became a country hit. However, Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, wanted half of Parton’s publishing rights as part of the arrangement.
Parton refused to give up the publishing rights.
Parton also continued to record the song herself. In 1995, she released a duet version with Vince Gill. The recording reached No. 15 on the U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and was later performed by the pair at the CMA Awards.
The song has also been recorded by many other artists, including Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, LeAnn Rimes, Christina Grimmie and Sarah Washington. Kristin Chenoweth later recorded it as a duet with Parton in 2019.
The song’s reach continued long after its original release. In 2016, Parton performed it as part of the “Forever Country” medley celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Country Music Association Awards. The medley reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
In 2023, Billboard placed it at No. 60 on its list of the 500 Best Pop Songs of All Time.
Following Parton’s death on Aug. 25, 2026, artists have continued to honor her music. John Mayer recently performed a tender version of “I Will Always Love You” during his SiriusXM concert at Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, New York.
Related: 1977 Country-Pop Song Became a Career-Defining Hit for Dolly Parton
Hence then, the article about 1974 hit ranked second greatest dolly parton song of all time was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( 1974 Hit Ranked Second-Greatest Dolly Parton Song of All Time )
Also on site :
- TrustNordisk Unveils Fresh Deals & Teaser-Trailer For Venice Contender ‘Woman Unknown’
- Aldi’s Portable Charcuterie Board Is a Game Changer for Fall Tailgates
- Quote of the Day: Philosopher Socrates on ‘An Eye for an Eye’ Mentality— ‘One Should Never Do Wrong in Return…’