Legendary country music star Dolly Parton has been opening up about why she couldn't let Elvis Presley record a version of her iconic hit I Will Always Love You
Dolly Parton has revealed the reason why she had to ban Elvis Presley from recording a version of one of her biggest hits.
The country music icon has been busy promoting her new album Rockstar and decided to open up about her experience with Elvis. Dolly, 77, has collaborated with big name artists on the long-awaited LP including her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, The Beatles legend Paul McCartney, Sting, Pink and Elton John.
Dolly's new release features 30 tracks, with 21 covers and nine originals including one song called I Dreamed About Elvis which sees her join forces with Ronnie McDowell and special guests The Jordanaires. She appeared on BBC Radio 2 to discuss the release and during the chat regaled listeners with a story about Elvis.
Having been asked about rumours that she refused to let Elvis record a cover of I Will Always Love You Dolly revealed the true story behind what happened. She also confessed that Elvis had loved the song so much he sang it to Priscilla Presley on the steps of the courthouse following their divorce.
She explained: "I wouldn't let Colonel Tom Parker. See, Elvis loved the song. In fact, I talked to Priscilla not very long ago. She said, 'You know, Elvis sang that song to me when we were walking down the courthouse steps when we got divorced.'
"He loved the song, wanted to do it, had it worked up, they'd already called me to come down to the studio to meet him, and to be part and hear the song and the night before, Colonel Tom Parker calls me and says, 'Well, you know we don't record anything with Elvis unless we have publishing on it, or at least half the publishing.'
Elvis sang the song to ex-wife Priscilla on the steps of the courthouse following their divorce
Dolly wrote a song dedicated to Elvis on her new album.
"Well, I said, because I had a number one song on it, I said, 'This is the most important copyright in my whole publishing company, and I can't do that'."
Dolly went on to describe how the planned recording then fell apart as Colonel Tom wouldn't go ahead and how she was left "heartbroken" as she had always wanted Elvis to sing it. Dolly then went on to discuss the meaning behind her song about Elvis on Rockstar.
She said: "But I wrote a song, 20 some years ago, had the Jordanaires, I wrote a song called I Dreamed About Elvis. It's in this album. I had Ronnie McDowell, who, he actually used to work on the road with Elvis but he sounds just like him, so I wrote a song and I dreamed that Elvis was singing the song I Will Always Love You. So I wrote a whole song about Elvis and then when we did I Will Always Love You, and it's in this album."