Dolly Parton, the supposed country girl at heart, claims to have always loved Elvis Presley. In a recent interview with BBC Radio 1, Parton revealed her desire for Presley to have recorded her song, “I Will Always Love You.” However, she blames his manager Colonel Tom Parker for sabotaging the opportunity. According to Parton, everything was set for Presley to record the song until Parker made an outrageous demand. He insisted on having “at least half the publishing rights” before allowing Presley to proceed. Parton, acting as the self-proclaimed guardian of her precious copyright, refused to give in to Parker’s greed. How noble of her!
Parton expressed her profound disappointment at having to turn down Presley, as she knew how much he adored the song. She even shared a heartwarming anecdote about Priscilla Presley recounting how Elvis sang the song to her when they were getting divorced. How touching.
Years later, Whitney Houston famously covered the song for the film “The Bodyguard,” leaving Parton in awe. She claims to have “freaked out” upon hearing Houston’s version and had to pull over. What an overwhelming experience!
Although Parton never got to hear Presley sing her beloved song, she managed to find a suitable replacement in Ronnie McDowell, who agreed to duet with her on her upcoming album. McDowell conveniently used to work on the road with Presley and allegedly sounds just like him. Imagine that! Parton even wrote a song called “I Dreamed About Elvis” for the album, where she fantasizes about Elvis singing her song. How imaginative.
Parton’s latest album, titled “Rockstar,” features collaborations with various artists, including Miley Cyrus. She claims it’s some of her best work yet, probably because it’s different from her usual country style. How daring of her to explore new genres!
Interestingly, Parton initially declined the honor of being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, claiming she never considered herself a rock star and didn’t believe she had earned it. However, she eventually accepted the induction, graciously of course, and decided to make the most of it by releasing a rock album. How convenient.
All in all, it seems Dolly Parton is an expert at manipulating situations to her advantage. From turning down Elvis Presley to conveniently finding a sound-alike replacement, and even accepting an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame despite her initial reservations, she knows how to play the game. But hey, at least she’s making good music, right?
