Dolly Parton: A Prolific Songwriting Career
Dolly Parton is one of the most iconic female artists in country music history. With her signature big blonde hair and charm, she has become a beloved figure across the world. However, behind her glamorous persona lies a deeply talented songwriter who has penned hundreds of songs over her decades-long career. While she is best known as a performer, Dolly Parton’s songwriting skills are what truly set her apart. Here is a closer look at Parton’s prolific songwriting career and some of her most famous compositions.
Early Beginnings in Songwriting
Parton grew up in rural Sevierville, Tennessee, the fourth of twelve children born to Robert and Avie Lee Parton. Music was a huge part of her upbringing, with her father often playing the banjo and her mother singing hymns. As a young girl, Parton showed an early gift for melody and lyrics. She began performing on local radio and television shows in Knoxville by the age of 10.
In her early teens, Parton began writing her own songs as a way to get her material on these local programs. One of her first major compositions was “It’s Sure Gonna Hurt,” which she wrote at age 14. The song caught the attention of country star Bill Phillips, who helped Parton land her first recording contract with Monument Records in Nashville in 1964 at age 18.
Her self-penned debut single for Monument was “Dumb Blonde,” a tune that poked fun at stereotypes while also showcasing Parton’s wit and songcraft. The song became a minor hit, peaking at number 24 on the Billboard country singles chart and earning Parton recognition as a talented new songwriter. In these early years, Parton worked diligently to hone her skills, writing hundreds of songs to submit to recording artists in Nashville.
Breakthrough Success with “I Will Always Love You”
By the late 1960s and early 70s, Parton had risen to fame as a chart-topping country artist in her own right with hits like “Joshua” and “Coat of Many Colors.” In 1973, she wrote and recorded the heartbreaking ballad “I Will Always Love You” for the film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
The song was inspired by Parton’s difficult decision to leave the mentorship of country legend Porter Wagoner after seven years of performing as a duo act on his television show. She poured her raw emotions of loss and longing into the composition. Released as a single, “I Will Always Love You” spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and helped cement Parton as one of the format’s premier singer-songwriters.
Little did Parton know at the time that her composition would go on to achieve even greater fame via Whitney Houston’s legendary cover version featured in the 1992 film The Bodyguard. Houston’s take on the song spent 14 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and became the best-selling physical single by a woman in music history. To this day, Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” remains one of the most recognizable and influential love songs of the 20th century thanks to her deeply moving lyrics and melody.
Hit Songwriting for Other Artists
In addition to her chart-topping hits as a performer, Parton found great success penning songs for other country and pop stars throughout the 1970s and beyond. One of her most famous early compositions for others was “Coat of Many Colors” in 1971, inspired by her childhood of poverty in Tennessee. She later re-recorded the song herself to big fanfare.
Parton also wrote the classic “Jolene” in 1973, a tune asking the titular redhead not to steal her man. While her version was a hit, Parton’s composition has since been covered by countless artists across genres like Olivia Newton-John, Denny Laine, and The White Stripes. In 1976, she composed “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” for country star Don Williams, who took the song all the way to number one on the country charts.
Perhaps Parton’s most famous early songwriting success for others was “I Really Don’t Want to Know,” a top 10 country hit for singer Tom T. Hall in 1974. Hall later praised Parton for her “brilliant” storytelling abilities in the lyrics. She also penned “The Seeker” for The Whites in 1977, as well as “Two Doors Down” for Ricky Skaggs in 1978, both of which achieved major chart success.
Continued Prolific Songwriting Career
As she entered her most commercially and critically successful phase in the late 1970s and 1980s, Parton continued writing prolifically for herself as well as other artists. She co-wrote the classic duet “You’re the Only One” with her friend and fellow songwriter Benny Gallagher for Melba Montgomery in 1976.
In 1977, Parton achieved one of her biggest songwriting successes for others with “Here You Come Again,” a number one country smash for singer-songwriter Barry Manilow that also cracked the top 40 on the pop charts. She also wrote Manilow’s follow-up hit “Heartbreaker” that same year.
Parton’s composition “Two Doors Down” became a number two country hit for Ricky Skaggs in 1978. That same year, she penned the infectious bluegrass romp “9 to 5” for her 1980 film of the same name, which went on to top both the country and pop singles charts in Parton’s own rendition. The song became an anthem for working women.
In 1980, Parton achieved one of her signature songwriting feats by composing “9 to 5” and “Starting Over” for her hit film, both of which were major chart-toppers for her. She also wrote “But You Know I Love You” for Billie Jo Spears in 1980. Spears took the song to number five on the country charts with Parton’s thoughtful lyrics and melody.
Continued Success into the 1980s and Beyond
Parton remained a sought-after songwriter throughout the 1980s, penning hits for herself as well as other established stars. In 1980, she co-wrote “You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation” with her close friend Sonny Curtis of The Crickets. The song became a top 20 country hit for Johnny Rodriguez.
She composed “Potential New Boyfriend” for country star Steve Wariner in 1981. Wariner’s version was a number two country single thanks to Parton’s witty lyrics. In 1983, she wrote “Tennessee Homesick Blues” for country star Barbara Mandrell, who took the song to number three on the charts.
Parton achieved one of her most famous songwriting successes for others in 1984 with the Kenny Rogers duet “Islands in the Stream.” The Bee Gees-penned composition topped both the country and pop singles charts and became one of the best-selling country music singles of all time. She also wrote “Real Love” for Kenny Rogers that year.
Throughout the remainder of the 1980s and beyond, Parton continued providing hits for other artists including “The River Unbroken” for The Kentucky Headhunters in 1989, “Romeo” for Dolly Parton and Friends in 1999, and “Where I Come From” for Alison Krauss in 2003. She also composed the title track for her 2014 bluegrass album Blue Smoke.
Songwriting Legacy and Impact
To date, Dolly Parton holds the distinction of having written over 3,000 songs in a wide array of genres including country, pop, and Christian music. Her compositions have been recorded by a who’s who of musical legends spanning Johnny Cash, Whitney Houston, Linda Ronstadt, and more.
Parton’s songs are renowned for their poignant storytelling, memorable melodies, and ability to convey universal emotions. Through her lyrics, she has given voice to themes of love, faith, family, feminism, and the human experience. Even in her later career, Parton continues writing new material.
Her songwriting skills are what truly set Parton apart as an artist and cemented her status as a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee. While she achieved massive fame as a performer in her own right, Parton’s legacy lies in her gift for crafting songs that have been recorded thousands of times over by other musicians. Through her compositions, she has left an indelible mark on popular music and culture. Dolly Parton’s songwriting career is nothing short of extraordinary.