Porter Wagoner

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Lore & Background

Their professional bond began when Parton joined Wagoner's show in September 1967, replacing Norma Jean. The pair recorded 14 studio albums together for RCA Victor, creating a string of top 10 hits on the country charts during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Notable collaborations included 'The Last Thing on My Mind', 'Tomorrow Is Forever', and 'Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man'. Wagoner's television series served as a crucial vehicle, granting Parton a national audience of millions and allowing her own singles to climb the country charts rapidly. By the early 1970s, both her solo hits and their duets regularly appeared in the top 10.

In Their Own Story

The studio lights illuminated the stage as Wagoner introduced his new 'girl singer' in September 1967. The chemistry was immediate, leading to a decade of shared success on record and airwaves. They released hits like 'The Last Thing on My Mind' and 'Tomorrow Is Forever', establishing themselves as a powerhouse duo for RCA Victor. However, as Parton's solo career flourished with tracks like 'Joshua' in 1970 and 'Jolene' in 1974, the dynamic shifted. In mid-1974, she made the pivotal decision to split from Wagoner and his show to expand her career as a solo artist, writing 'I Will Always Love You' specifically as a tribute to him during this transition.

Reader's Guide

Wagoner's role was instrumental in shaping Parton's early exposure. He hired her for his syndicated series, The Porter Wagoner Show, where she gained visibility that fueled her rise from a teenager with two unsuccessful singles to a chart-topping star. Under his banner, she recorded 13 albums and achieved multiple top 10 hits alongside him. While he provided the platform, Parton used it to showcase her own songwriting, eventually outgrowing the 'girl singer' role. Their split in mid-1974 marked the end of their recording partnership but highlighted her independence, as she immediately recorded a tribute song for him before launching into a crossover pop career with hits like 'Here You Come Again'.

Did You Know?

• Dolly Parton replaced country vocalist Norma Jean as the 'girl singer' on The Porter Wagoner Show in September 1967.
• Parton and Wagoner recorded 14 studio albums together for RCA Victor.
• 'I Will Always Love You' was written by Parton in 1973 specifically as a tribute to Wagoner upon her departure from his show.
• Through Wagoner's television series, Parton gained a national audience of millions of viewers before her solo hits began hitting the top 10.
• Parton's first chart-topper was 'Joshua' in 1970, followed by 'Jolene', which became her second number one single in February 1974.

The Porter Wagoner Partnership

In September 1967, Dolly Parton replaced Norma Jean as the female vocalist on The Porter Wagoner Show. The pair recorded 13 albums together for RCA Victor. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, they had a series of top 10 hits on the country charts, including 'The Last Thing on My Mind', 'Tomorrow Is Forever', and 'Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man'. On Wagoner's television series, Parton gained a national audience of millions of viewers, and her own singles began to move up the country charts. By the early 1970s, her solo hits regularly appeared in the top 10, as did her duets with Wagoner.

The Catalyst for Solo Stardom

In mid-1974, Parton split from Wagoner and his show to expand her career as a solo artist. She wrote and recorded 'I Will Always Love You' as a tribute to Wagoner during this time.

A Legacy of Chart Dominance

Parton holds the record for the most number one hits by a female country artist (25) and the record for most top 10 country albums on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart (41). She previously held the record for the most top 10 hits by a female country artist until Reba McEntire surpassed her in 2009 with her 56th top 10 hit, 'Cowgirls Don't Cry'. Parton is the first artist to have top 20 hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart in six consecutive decades (1960s–2010s).

Evolution Through Musical Genres

Following her departure from Wagoner, Parton branched out into pop music with the 1977 single 'Here You Come Again', which hit number one on the country chart and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. This helped produce a string of crossover hits in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including 'Two Doors Down', 'Heartbreaker', 'You're the Only One', '9 to 5' and 'But You Know I Love You'. After a slight commercial decline in the late 1980s, Parton signed with Columbia Records and returned to traditional country music with the album White Limozeen. In 1999 she signed a contract with Sugar Hill Records and recorded Bluegrass albums beginning with The Grass Is Blue.