Her music gained a following not only among the public but also with fellow singers who widely covered her songs – perhaps most famously Whitney Houston’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You.” Some of Parton’s most beloved covers and duets were with her goddaughter, American pop star Miley Cyrus, and Cyrus’ father, country music star Billy Ray Cyrus.
“Jolene” was covered by artists as varied as Beyoncé and The White Stripes.
While Parton was a force on stage and an accomplished vocalist, what set her apart from her peers was her talent with words. Parton wrote every one of her hit songs. All told, she penned an estimated 3,000 throughout her life, though she recorded only about 450 of them.
“I love to write poetic songs and sing flowery words,” she wrote in “Dolly Parton, Songteller.” “I like to make you see something visually, so I want to paint a picture. And I love to come up with clever lines, not just like a songwriter, but like a poet.”
‘THE SONGS ARE MY LEGACY’
Parton made her movie debut in 1980’s “9 to 5,” starring alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, with the title tune earning Parton an Oscar nomination for songwriting. She got another Oscar songwriting nomination in 2006 for “Travelin’ Thru,” written for the film “Transamerica.”
Her other movie acting roles included “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Steel Magnolias,” “Rhinestone” and “Straight Talk.”
Twenty-five of her songs reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country charts and she was a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, receiving its highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in 2007. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
Parton received her first Grammy award in 1978 for her song “Here You Come Again.” In 1988, she won the People’s Choice Award for favorite all-around female entertainer.
But despite all her accolades and achievements, Parton found the greatest meaning in her art.
“I feel like I’m closest to God when I write,” she wrote in “Dolly Parton, Songteller.” “A great line will just come to me, and I’ll go, ‘Hey, thank You, Lord. I know I didn’t think of that.’”
“At the end of the day, I hope that I will be remembered as a good songwriter. The songs are my legacy.”
