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"I Will Always Love You" is a single by Dolly Parton with special guest Vince Gill. It was released in November 1995 by Columbia Records as the only single from Dolly's thirty-third solo studio album, Something Special. It was written by Dolly and is her third studio recording of the song and her third time to release it as a single. It was produced by Steve Buckingham and Dolly. The single peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It was nominated for Best Country Vocal Collaboration at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards.
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Track listing
45 single
Side A
Radio promo CD single
Side A
- I Will Always Love You (with special guest Vince Gill) (Dolly Parton) 3:17
- Speakin' of the Devil (Dolly Parton) 3:15
Radio promo CD single
- I Will Always Love You (with special guest Vince Gill) (Dolly Parton) 3:17
Background
Following Dolly's performance of "I Will Always Love You" with Vince Gill on the Grand Ole Opry in August 1995, radio stations began giving the duet unsolicited airplay, causing it to debut on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The duo performed the song again at the Country Music Association Awards in October before it was officially issued as a single in November.
Recording
This duet version of "I Will Always Love You" with Vince Gill is Dolly's third studio recording of the song. The first was for her 1974 album, Jolene. She recorded the song again for the 1982 soundtrack of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She was a featured vocalist on Jerry D's saxophone cover of the song for his 2005 album, Sax in the Country. She recorded a new solo version for inclusion on the 2007 UK compilation, Singer, Songwriter & Legendary Performer. Stephanie J. Block recorded a cover of the song featuring Dolly for her 2009 album, This Place I Know. Erinn Abu (formerly known as Jerry D) released two slightly different instrumental versions featuring Dolly on his 2011 albums, Forever in Love and A New Creation (both feature the same vocal take from Dolly that was recorded for his 2005 album). Dolly joined Lulu Roman on the song for her 2013 album, At Last. Dolly recorded the song with her family and the cast of the Dollywood My People production for its soundtrack album. Michael Bolton recorded the song for his 2017 album, Songs of Cinema and featured Dolly on his version. Kristen Chenoweth recorded a duet of the song with Dolly for her 2017 album, For the Girls. Dolly was featured on Alex-Zsolt's piano cover of the song for his 2024 album, Alex-Zsolt at the Ivories.
Commercial performance
"I Will Always Love You" debuted at number 53 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated September 16, 1995, due to unsolicited airplay following a performance by Dolly and Vince Gill at the Grand Ole Opry in August. The single peaked at number 15 on the chart dated November 25, its eleventh week on the chart. It charted for a total of 20 weeks. The single also peaked at number 12 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart and number 80 on the Cashbox Top Singles chart.
Accolades
"I Will Always Love You" was named Vocal Event of the Year at the 30th Annual County Music Association Awards in 1996. It was also nominated for Best Country Vocal Collaboration at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in 1996. It was nominated for Single of the Year and Vocal Collaboration of the Year at the 1996 CMT Music Awards (known at the TNN/Music City News Awards at the time). It was nominated for Vocal Collaboration of the Year again at the 1997 ceremony. "I Will Always Love You" received a Songwriter Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International in 1995.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the Something Special liner notes.
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