The Grand Ole Opry is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year with a new album called “Opry 100: Country’s Greatest Songs” that compiles fan-voted favorite performances from its history. The Opry, which began in 1925 as the WSM Barn Dance, is the longest-running radio show in the world. The new album features tracks ranging from 1962 with Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” all the way through 2025 with Don Schlitz’s take on “The Gambler.”
Some of the performances were even captured on video, and today we’re sharing one of the most touching moments in the Opry’s 100 years.
Before she became the country superstar we know today, Dolly Parton got her start working with Porter Wagoner on “The Porter Wagoner Show” in 1967. They became a strong duo for their perfect blend of voices and musical chemistry. However, Parton’s star began to shine a little brighter than Wagoner liked.
“I think Porter had a real hard time after other people started recording my songs. And I was writing and I was getting to be pretty popular,” Parton told People Magazine. “And it was his show. I wasn’t trying to hog it. But I just kind of carved out a little, you know, place for myself. But it was a love-hate relationship. We fought like cats and dogs. We were just both very passionate people. There was no way that I wasn’t going to do what I was going to do. And no way I was going to not do what he thought I was going to do.”
After seven years, Parton finally parted ways with Wagoner’s show and career. It was not amicable. Wagoner would not let her go, but Parton eventually convinced him by penning one of the greatest songs of all time: “I Will Always Love You.”
“I thought, ‘Do what you do best, just write a song.’ So I wrote the song, took it back in the next day. And I said, ‘Porter, sit down, I got something I have to sing to you.’ So I sang it. And he was sitting at his desk, and he was crying,” Parton recalls. “He said, ‘It’s the best thing you ever wrote. OK, you can go, but only if I can produce that record.’ And he did, and the rest is history!”
Wagoner continued to be bitter for over 15 years, though they eventually made up and recorded a reunion album in 1980. The song, of course, would famously be covered by Whitney Houston, who made it the best-selling single by a female artist of all time.
However, another milestone led to this magical moment.
“In May 2007, Opry member Porter Wagoner celebrated 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry with a cast of Opry stars such as Marty Stuart and Patty Loveless,” the Opry writes. “To cap off the evening, Dolly Parton performed the song she wrote for Porter as a goodbye message before spreading her wings to focus on her solo career.”
The audio of the performance is on the new “Opry 100” album, but watching Parton sing directly to Wagoner will bring a tear to your eye.
Watch the performance and follow along with the sheet music for “I Will Always Love You”:
