Following Dolly Parton‘s death at age 80 on Tuesday, August 25, listeners are returning to the stories behind some of her biggest songs, including “I Will Always Love You.”
The track is often heard as a romantic breakup ballad, but Dolly wrote it while preparing to leave her working partnership with Porter Wagoner. Dolly consistently described Porter as her mentor, producer, and duet partner, not a romantic partner.
While their close bond fueled tabloid speculation, neither ever said there was something romantic happening, per The Washington Post. Dolly was married to Carl Dean throughout her years working with Porter.
Who was Porter Wagoner? How did he help Dolly Parton?
Porter was already an established country singer, Grand Ole Opry member, and television host when he invited a 21-year-old Dolly to join The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967. She replaced singer Norma Jean in the cast.
Dolly had already released her debut album and attracted attention with “Dumb Blonde,” so Porter did not discover her. However, his nationally syndicated show gave her much wider exposure. The Country Music Hall of Fame says the program reached nearly 100 markets and more than three million viewers.
They also became a major recording duo. Dolly and Porter scored 14 Top 10 country hits together, while he worked as the producer-arranger on their duet albums and supervised much of her RCA solo output during that period. Their collaborations included “The Last Thing on My Mind,” and the No. 1 hit “Please Don’t Stop Loving Me.”
Why did Dolly leave? What happened with the lawsuit?
Dolly always planned to build a career of her own. In a later interview featured by PBS and People, she said she initially agreed to stay with Porter for five years but remained for seven. By then, her solo records and songwriting career were growing, and she wanted greater creative independence. Porter worried that her departure would hurt his show.
“I think Porter had a real hard time after other people started recording my songs. And I was writing and I was getting to be pretty popular,” Dolly said in a clip. “And it was his show. I wasn’t trying to hog it. But I just kind of carved out a little, you know, place for myself.”
She continued, “But it was a love-hate relationship. We fought like cats and dogs. We were just both very passionate people. There was no way that I wasn’t going to do what I was going to do. And no way I was going to not do what he thought I was going to do.”
After repeated conversations went nowhere. Dolly turned the message into a song. She sang “I Will Always Love You” to Porter in his office, expressing her gratitude while making clear that she was leaving. According to Dolly‘s official account, he cried and called it “the best thing” she “ever wrote,” then agreed to her exit on the condition that he could produce the records.
That production detail is a little unclear though, as Bob Ferguson is listed as the official producer.
Dolly left Porter‘s television and road show in 1974. The song reached No. 1 on the country chart that year, long before Whitney Houston turned it into a global pop hit for The Bodyguard.
Their separation did not end the business dispute. In 1979, Porter filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit seeking a share of Dolly‘s income and royalties. He reportedly sued her for $3 million.
The case was settled out of court in 1980. Dolly later said she paid approximately $1 million in installments over several years. When discussing Britney Spears‘ conservatorship battle in 2021, she referenced her own lawsuit with Porter and her effort to establish an independent career.
How did Dolly and Porter reconcile?
Their relationship eventually recovered. The Grand Ole Opry says Dolly performed “I Will Always Love You” for Porter during his 50th Opry anniversary celebration in May 2007, their final appearance together on that stage.
Porter, who died from lung cancer in October 2007, called Dolly “one of my best friends today” at the Ole Opry celebration. She also visited him while he was hospitalized.
Years later, Dolly could even have some fun imagining their story onscreen. While discussing a possible project about her life, she said Jim Carrey would be her choice to play Porter.
Posted To:Dolly Parton Music Porter Wagoner