Dolly Parton has a music catalog spanning more than 60 years that has churned out chart-topping country classics and timeless hits that have grandparents and grandkids singing along.
However, only one song could be crowned as the Queen of Country’s best song ever in Knox News’ bracket-style competition.
For the past few weeks, Dolly fans have voted for their favorite song. After hits like “9 to 5,” “Islands in the Stream,” “Here You Come Again” and “Coat of Many Colors” bowed out in early rounds, it’s now time to name the winner.
Our final epic bracket matchup was “Jolene” vs. “I Will Always Love You” vs. “Why’d You Come Here Lookin’ Like That.” The winner came out on top with a whopping 73% of the vote.
So, which song won?!
‘I Will Always Love You’ crowed Dolly Parton’s best song ever
Rolling Stone named “Jolene” the best country song of all time, but that’s not what our readers say. “I Will Always Love You” is the song that takes the crown in our Dolly bracket, beating out 23 of Parton’s other greatest hits.
“Jolene” – which has gotten new life through Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” version and Miley Cyrus covers – was the runner-up (22%). And “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That” placed third (5%).
Why did Dolly Parton write ‘I Will Always Love You’?
“I Will Always Love You” is one of Parton’s signature songs. Some people might know the song because of Whitney Houston’s megahit version from “The Bodyguard” soundtrack in 1992, but don’t know Parton is the sole songwriter behind it.
Parton penned “I Will Always Love You” in 1973 as she was preparing to leave “The Porter Wagoner Show.” The show made Parton a star, but after seven years, she was ready to branch out on her own. Wagoner wasn’t ready for that to happen, though.
“How am I gonna make him understand how much I appreciate everything, but I have to go?” Parton recalled during a 2015 conversation with Bart Herbison of Nashville Songwriters Association International. “So, I went home and I thought, ‘Well, what do you do best? You write songs.’ So, I sat down and I wrote this song.”
Parton went to the office the next day and sang “I Will Always Love You” for Wagoner.
“When I finished, he said, ‘Well, hell! If you feel that strong about it, just go on – providing I get to produce that record because that’s the best you ever wrote,’” Parton recalled.
Parton released “I Will Always Love You” in 1974 as the second single off her 13th studio album “Jolene.” It went to No. 1 on the Billboard US Hot Country Songs chart.
Parton re-recorded the song for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” soundtrack (1982) and as a duet with Vince Gill for her album, “Something Special” (1995).
Though Parton and Wagoner had a “fire and ice” relationship, “I Will Always Love You” kept them connected. The duo performed it together at the Grand Ole Opry in 2007, and she sang a few lines for him shortly before he died that same year.
What did Dolly think of Whitney Houston’s cover?
“I Will Always Love You” is also one of the Houston’s signature songs. The global hit topped the charts in 34 countries and is one of the best-selling singles of all time, selling 24 million copies worldwide. Houston’s version won Grammy Awards for record of the year and best female pop vocal performance.
Parton had sent over the song to Houston’s team but didn’t know that the singer had recorded it until she heard it on the radio while driving home in Nashville.
“I just heard the a cappella part … it kind of got my attention, but it hadn’t registered yet,” Parton recalled in 2015. “All of a sudden, she went into the chorus and I though, ‘Oh my god! This is ‘I Will Always Love You!’
“I’ll never ever, ever, forget that,” Parton continued. “My heart almost just popped. It was such an overwhelming feeling to hear it done so great, with such a great and huge production, and with her voice.”
‘I Will Always Love You’ at Dollywood
Since 2023, Dollywood has kicked off its season with the “I Will Always Love You” music festival. The festival celebrates songwriters and the art of songwriting, and features performances throughout the park by notable and rising artists.
The event initially launched to honor the 50th anniversary of Parton writing “I Will Always Love You.”
Dollywood visitors can also learn interesting trivia about the song at the Dolly Parton Experience. Notably, “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene” were recorded during the same session or during the same time frame. While in the process of digitizing her music, Parton discovered the first recordings for both songs were on the same cassette.
