Dolly Parton made a career-defining choice when she refused to let Elvis Presley record one of her biggest songs — and it may have made her a lifelong enemy in his camp. Standing her ground on copyright, Parton chose business over flattery, a move she calls the most important of her career.
While it cost her a collaboration with the King, it cemented her as a music industry powerhouse.
When Dolly Parton said no to Elvis Presley — and kept her biggest hit
Elvis Presley wanted I Will Always Love You, but Dolly Parton wasn’t about to give it away — not even to the King himself.
Back in the ‘70s, when Parton’s heartfelt ballad was climbing the charts, Presley expressed interest in recording it. For Parton, it was a dream come true. She recalled in a 2006 interview with CMT. But that excitement didn’t last, she alluded:
I got the word that he was going to record it, and I was so excited. I told everybody I knew, ‘Elvis is going to record my song. You’re not going to believe who’s recording my song.
Presley’s legendary manager, Colonel Tom Parker, had one condition: Parton had to hand over the publishing rights. That was a dealbreaker. She later explained to BBC Radio 2,
I wouldn’t let Colonel Tom Parker [record “I Will Always Love You”]…This is the most important copyright in my whole publishing company, and I can’t do that.
It wasn’t personal — just business. Still, turning down Presley was no small thing. He was the King of Rock and Roll, and when he wanted a song, he usually got it. But Parton stood firm, choosing ownership over prestige.
Years later, I Will Always Love You became even bigger when Whitney Houston’s 1992 cover for The Bodyguard turned it into a global phenomenon. Parton never regretted her decision.
Did Elvis hold a grudge? Maybe. But in the end, Parton’s choice cemented her legacy — not just as a country legend, but as a business powerhouse who knew exactly what her music was worth.
Finley Lockwood steps out looking like Elvis Presley in rare public sighting
Those Presley genes don’t miss! Finley Lockwood, 16, stepped out for a rare outing in Calabasas, California, looking like a mirror image of her late grandfather, Elvis Presley (per CloserWeekly).
The teen was spotted with her father, Michael Lockwood, at Erewhon on March 20, rocking long blonde hair, a white sweater, and loose jeans — her face a striking blend of Elvis and her late mother, Lisa Marie Presley.
Finley and her twin sister, Harper, were just 14 when Lisa Marie tragically passed away on January 12, 2023, from complications linked to a past weight loss surgery. Michael, 63, was granted full custody, raising them away from the public eye.The twins were last seen at Elvis’ handprint ceremony in 2022, standing alongside Lisa Marie, Priscilla Presley, and their half-sister, Daisy Jones & The Six star Riley Keough.
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