9 Songs You Didn’t Know Were Written By Dolly Parton
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Dolly Parton’s songwriting talents extended far beyond her own extensive catalog, with thousands of songs written for herself and other artists throughout her legendary career.
As a recording artist, the Tennessee native released 49 solo studio albums, earned numerous chart-topping hits, and became one of country music’s most celebrated entertainers. But beyond her unmistakable voice and larger-than-life personality, Dolly established herself as one of the most prolific and gifted songwriters in music history.
In her 2020 book, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, she revealed:
“I love to write songs for men. And it’s a good thing I do because back then, there weren’t that many women in the country-music business to write songs for.”
Read on to learn about and listen to nine songs that Dolly Parton wrote for other artists!
1. “Put It Off Until Tomorrow,” Bill Phillips, 1966
Dolly Parton co-wrote “Put It Off Until Tomorrow” with her uncle Bill Owens. The song was recorded by artist Bill Phillips and released in January 1966, later to be included on his album of the same name. It became the biggest hit of Phillips’ career, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
Fun fact: Dolly Parton provided uncredited harmony vocals on the single.
2. “Fuel to the Flame,” Skeeter Davis, 1967
The second hit song written by Dolly Parton and her uncle was “Fuel to the Flame.” Recorded and released by Skeeter Davis in 1967, it became her first major hit in two years, peaking at number eleven on the Billboard Magazine Hot Country Singles chart.
The consecutive success of “Put It Off Until Tomorrow” and “Fuel to the Flame” opened the door for Dolly to sign a recording contract with Monument Records as a music artist.
3. “I’m In No Condition,” Hank Williams Jr., 1967
A song from Dolly Parton’s debut album, Hello, I’m Dolly, caught the attention of Hank Williams Jr. He recorded his own version of “I’m In No Condition” for his second of three albums released in 1967, My Own Way.
4. “There’ll Always Be Music,” Tina Turner, 1974
Dolly Parton released a single titled “There’ll Always Be Music” between her two 1973 albums, My Tennessee Mountain Home and Bubbling Over. It was recorded with her collaborator Porter Wagoner.
A year later, Tina Turner started recording her debut solo album, Tina Turns The Country On!, which featured covers by various country and folk artists. She took a liking to Dolly’s song and recorded her own version of “There’ll Always Be Music” for the project.
5. “Kentucky Gambler,” Merle Haggard, 1974
Dolly Parton first recorded “Kentucky Gambler” in 1947, but it was Merle Haggard and The Strangers’ version later that year that took the song to new heights. It became their nineteenth number-one song on the country chart and remained in the ranks for eleven weeks. Dolly also provided backing vocals for the track.
6. “To Daddy,” Emmylou Harris, 1977
Dolly Parton was the sole songwriter on Emmylou Harris’ 1977 release, “To Daddy.” It was included on her album Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town and reached number three on Billboard’s Hot Country chart.
The heartbreaking song was written from the perspective of a teenage girl who watched her mother hurt in a neglectful relationship with her husband.
7. “The Stranger,” Kenny Rogers, 1984
“The Stranger” was recorded, produced, and released in 1984 by Kenny Rogers on the album What About Me? The heart-wrenching tale of an abandoned son was written by Dolly Parton.
At this point in their careers, Dolly and Kenny were frequent collaborators, and they released their Christmas album, Once Upon a Christmas, one month after “The Stranger” made its debut.
8. “Waltz Me to Heaven,” Waylon Jennings, 1985
Waylon Jennings released “Waltz Me To Heaven” as the second single from his 1985 compilation album Waylon’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 2. It was one of three previously unreleased songs on the record, along with “Looking for Suzanne” and “America.”
An early version of the song, sung by Dolly’s youngest brother, Floyd Parton, appeared on the 1984 film soundtrack for “Rhinestone,” starring Sylvester Stallone and the country star herself. Dolly was the sole songwriter of “Waltz Me To Heaven,” which reached number ten on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
9. “Circle of Love,” Jennifer Nettles, 2016
Jennifer Nettles, one half of country duo Sugarland, recorded “Circle of Love” on her 2016 holiday album To Celebrate Christmas. The song, written by Dolly, was also featured in the NBC television movie Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love.
Jennifer portrayed Dolly’s mother, Avie Lee Parton, in the film, which was based on the true story of Dolly’s life. It was written by Pamela K. Long and directed by Stephen Herek, and it aired one month after the song was released.
