Elvis Wanted to Record One of Country Music's Greatest Songs - The Writer Said No

Elvis Presley may have been the King of Rock and Roll, but the Queen of Country demands respect when it comes to covering her songs.

Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," while perhaps better known in recent years as Whitney Houston's swansong in the 1992 film The Bodyguard, was an instant classic from its release in 1974. In a rare feat, the timeless love ballad went on to top the Billboard Hot Country Charts twice - upon its initial release, then again when Dolly covered her own song for the 1982 film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

It is no surprise, then, given its early popularity and beloved cover by fellow artist Linda Ronstadt in 1975, that Presley, along with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, were keen to get their hands on an Elvis recording of the country hit. However, the singer-songwriter ultimately turned down a deal for the icon to record the song. A major fan of Elvis, Parton has always made it clear that it was Parker, not Presley, whom she refused.

"I wouldn't let Colonel Tom Parker [record the song]," Dolly said in an interview with BBC Radio 2 (via Los Angeles Times). Known for his tumultuous relationship with Elvis and his business associates, Parker's business dealings with the King - such as exhaustive Vegas residencies and a legal barrier to performing internationally - are viewed in retrospect as suffocating to Presley's creativity and career.

Although covering a country hit would likely have brought commercial success, Elvis had a personal connection to Dolly's heartfelt goodbye to a cherished lover, she revealed.

"See, Elvis loved the song. In fact, I talked to Priscilla [Presley] not very long ago," Parton continued. "She said to me, ‘You know, Elvis sang that song to me when we walked down the courthouse steps when we got divorced. He was singing to me ‘I Will Always Love You.'"

However, it was a dodgy deal offered by Parker that prevented the cover from coming to fruition. "[T]he night before [the recording session], 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,'" Dolly continued.

"Well, I said, because I had a No. 1 song on it, I said, ‘This is the most important copyright in my whole publishing company, and I can't do that.'"

"I said, ‘I'm really sorry,' and I cried all night. I mean, it was like the worst thing. You know, it's like, ‘Oh, my God … Elvis Presley,'" she said. "And other people were saying, ‘You're nuts. It's Elvis Presley. I mean, hell, I'd give him all of it.' I said, ‘I can't do that. Something in my heart says, ‘Don't do that.'"

However, Houston's 1992 cover - one that did not demand publishing rights - would go on to become one of the best-selling records of all time, proving that sticking to her principles helped Parton in the long run.

"When Whitney's came out, I made enough money to buy Graceland," she joked.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 28, 2026 at 10:11 AM.