Music

Dolly Parton on heartbreaking decision to turn down Elvis Presley

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Dolly Parton and Alyvia Alyn Lind at Dollywood's Media Event held on August 3, 2018, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.During this media event, Dolly Parton announced Dollywood's largest expansion in the park's history, which will open in the 2018 season and will be called Wildwood Grove.Wildwood Grove features 11 thrilling experiences for guests, comprised of six unique ride attractions, and the 55-foot Wildwood Tree. The total cost of the project is $37 million, meeting The Dollywood Company's 2013 commitment of $300 million in investments over a 10 year period
Dolly Parton turned down The King (Picture: AFF/PA Images)

Imagine having to say no to Elvis Presley.

Dolly Party has revealed she had to when The King got a bit big for his boots over a cover of her hit track I Will Always Love You.

The 9 To 5 songstress has revealed her regret at turning him down, but in the long run managed to earn herself millions by saying no, so it wasnt all bad.

Her decision came about after his people demanded the rights to the song in return for him covering it, which Dolly could not say yes to.

His manager Colonel Parker called me up the day before he was due to record the song and said, “Now you know Elvis has to have the publishing rights or at least half the publishing rights of any song he records”, she said.

I was desperate for Elvis to sing my song and Id told everyone he was going to sing it, but I couldnt let that happen. Its my song, my publishing rights. It broke my heart but I had to turn him down.

The King got a bit big for his boots (picture: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Still, the song was covered in 1992 by Whitney Houston and went on to earn the 72-year-old £15million in royalties, so the regret should be outweighed by a sense of triumph.

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Its not even a big deal that people now think the song was Whitneys, as the money still roles in to Dolly.

She told Event magazine: People say its Whitneys song, and thats all right as long as they send the cheques to me!

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Dolly has been happily married to Carl Dean since 1966 but she admitted she was always too selfish to have children because of her focus on her career, and she doesnt regret her decision.

She admitted: I was too selfish to have children. The biggest thing I wanted was my career. I wanted to be married, I wanted never to be divorced, I wanted to be a big singer and that was all I thought about.

Later in life I did think about it, but nothing happened and I accepted it.

Im never going to say its something I regret because that would not be true. It was my choice to put everything into having this career. I believed I could have it but it took work – and it still takes work.

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