Dolly was recognized as being part of the 'Vocal Event of the Year' (the category name was changed to 'Musical Event of the Year' in 2005) at the Country Music Association's (CMA) annual awards show for her song "I will Always Love You," released as a duet with Vince Gill on her album "Something Special."
The song, "I Will Always Love You," has had a long history of success for Dolly and for the artists who have covered it (most famously Whitney Houston). It was originally written by Dolly as a thank you to Porter Wagoner, her long time singing and television partner because she had decided to leave the partnership. Dolly said,
"It's saying, 'Just because I'm going don't mean I won't love you. I appreciate you and I hope you do great and I appreciate everything you've done, but I'm out of here…’ And I took it in the next morning. I said, 'Sit down, Porter. I've written this song, and I want you to hear it.' So I did sing it. And he was crying. He said, 'That's the prettiest song I ever heard. And you can go, providing I get to produce that record.' And he did, and the rest is history."
The Dolly and Vince collaboration of "I Will Always Love You" was also honored with a GRAMMY nomination and a TNN/Music City News nomination for Vocal Performance of the Year and ultimately reached number 15 on the country charts.
Dolly topped the country charts twice with "I Will Always Love You," in 1974 and 1982. When it was picked as a last-minute replacement for "The Bodyguard" soundtrack it became one of the best love songs ever recorded. David Foster produced Whitney’s signature version and called it, "The love song of the century."
Houston’s version of "I Will Always Love" went on to be one of the most successful singles in music history. It spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts; it reached No. 9 on the New Musical Express list of the Greatest Number One Hits in History and No. 49 on Billboard’s Greatest Songs of All Time.
In September 1987, Dolly hosted her second variety show. The television variety show’s format was similar to "The Carol Burnett Show," a popular show in the late 70s.
Guest stars included country stars Tammy Wynette and Merle Haggard as well as television stars Bruce Willis, Tom Selleck and Oprah Winfrey. Dolly’s creative input helped the show evolve into a more down home feeling, a sharp contrast to the more lavish earlier episodes. She closed each show just as she did her previous variety series, with her signature self-penned hit "I Will Always Love You."
In 1975, Dolly appeared on the musical variety television program "Hee Haw" for the last time performing her popular hits "Love is Like A Butterfly" and "I Will Always Love You."
Throughout Dolly’s seven-year stint on "The Porter Wagoner Show," she and Porter reigned supreme as one of country music’s most popular duos. However, the little blonde with the powerhouse voice had set her sights on a solo career. As she set forth on her path to make her dreams come true, it would mean leaving the show--and her duet partner. Tension mounted behind the scenes, leading Dolly to ask to leave the show. Her decision came two years later than she initially agreed to stay.
In 1974, Dolly wrote, "I Will Always Love You," as her own unique way of saying goodbye to Porter as their professional relationship came to an end. When Dolly first played the song for Porter, he began crying and uttered,
"That’s the prettiest song I ever heard. And you can go, providing I get to produce that record."
Wagoner followed through on his promise, and the album consequently went to No. 1 on the country charts.
