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Dolly Parton Reveals the One Person She Would Want To Talk With One Last Time

When looking back on her life, Dolly Parton probably doesn’t have many regrets, however, she does wish she could go back and explain herself to “The King of Rock and Roll.”

After a situation with Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton says that if she could have one more conversation with someone, it would be with him to explain herself. It has been something that Parton has carried with her throughout her career.

“I’d probably talk about I Will Always Love You and say hey, I bet you were as disappointed as I was about all that, and I still dream about you singing that song. Matter of fact, I even wrote a song called I Dreamed about Elvis Last Night, and I had an Elvis soundalike sing it with me, and we actually sing I will always love you in it. And one day, I’m going to put that track out. So I think that I’d talk to Elvis and just clear that up with him.”

“I Will Always Love You” and Elvis

When Parton wrote, “I Will Always Love You,” she knew it was an instant hit. In fact, most artists knew the song was going to top the charts. So when Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom, requested the piece for his client, who could say no?

“Elvis wanted to record I Will Always Love You. They planned the session and told me they were recording the song. I’d been invited down to the studio to meet Elvis and be there when he sang my song. That was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me. Who doesn’t love Elvis?”

Dolly Parton Puts Her Foot Down

However, the recording process isn’t as easy as just singing into a microphone. Colonel Tom demanded at least have the publishing to the hit. Dolly Parton put her foot down.

“But then Colonel called me the afternoon before the session and said, you do know we have to have at least half the publishing on any song that Elvis records? And I said no, I did not know that. I said I hate this more than you could even imagine, but I cannot give you half the publishing, I just can’t do it, and I won’t do it. I Will Always Love You had been a number one song with me already. It was the most important song in my catalog. And I cried all night long, ‘cause I was so disappointed. It wasn’t Elvis. I loved Elvis. And I’m sure he was as disappointed as I was because he had it all worked up and ready to go.”

[H/T The Big Issue]