Remembering Dolly Parton, who gave away everything but her songs
Dolly Parton famously refused to grant Elvis Presley's manager half of the publishing rights to her song 'I Will Always Love You' in 1974. Despite the potential for a massive career boost, she prioritized maintaining ownership of her creative work.
Why it matters
This anecdote serves as a significant case study in artist rights and the importance of intellectual property ownership in the music industry.
In 1974, the night before Elvis Presley was due in the studio to record ‘I Will Always Love You’, Dolly Parton’s phone rang. Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s manager, had a condition nobody had mentioned earlier. Elvis would record the song only if Parker’s side received half the publishing rights to it.
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