After Dolly Parton moved to Nashville, her life turned around when a record label signed her. Fred Foster, who founded Monument Records, realized Parton would be a success and began to work with her. He thought she needed a little work before she could achieve stardom, though. Foster reportedly spent thousands of dollars trying to make her a little classier.
Dolly Parton’s record label paid for her to take lessons
Though Parton had achieved local success in her music career as early as childhood, she struggled when she moved to Nashville. She could hardly afford to eat, and record label after record label rejected her. Foster turned her luck around.
“The instant you heard her you would never forget that was Dolly Parton,” he said in the book Dolly by Alanna Nash. “Obviously, there are people who can’t stand to hear her sing, but that’s true of...
Dolly Parton’s record label paid for her to take lessons
Though Parton had achieved local success in her music career as early as childhood, she struggled when she moved to Nashville. She could hardly afford to eat, and record label after record label rejected her. Foster turned her luck around.
“The instant you heard her you would never forget that was Dolly Parton,” he said in the book Dolly by Alanna Nash. “Obviously, there are people who can’t stand to hear her sing, but that’s true of...
- 5/25/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Dolly Parton moved to Nashville in 1964, ready to both write and sing songs. Though she had achieved some success in her hometown, she struggled in her early days in the city. She began to achieve success not long after a country singer recorded a version of a song she wrote. Parton sang uncredited backing vocals on the song, which began to garner some interest for her.
Dolly Parton’s uncredited vocals on 1 song brought her a lot of attention
Parton and her uncle, Bill Owens, wrote songs together over the years. In 1966, country singer Bill Phillips recorded a version of their song “Put It Off Until Tomorrow.” Parton sang harmony on the song, though her vocals went uncredited. When it entered the Top 10 on the country charts, though, people thought this was due to Parton’s voice.
“That was really the catalyst for Dolly and the thing that brought her to everybody’s attention,...
Dolly Parton’s uncredited vocals on 1 song brought her a lot of attention
Parton and her uncle, Bill Owens, wrote songs together over the years. In 1966, country singer Bill Phillips recorded a version of their song “Put It Off Until Tomorrow.” Parton sang harmony on the song, though her vocals went uncredited. When it entered the Top 10 on the country charts, though, people thought this was due to Parton’s voice.
“That was really the catalyst for Dolly and the thing that brought her to everybody’s attention,...
- 5/23/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When Dolly Parton moved to Nashville, she had no plans to get married. She moved to the city to find success as a singer and didn’t want a relationship to distract her. This changed on her first day in the city, when she met Carl Dean. Her future husband charmed her immediately. She shared why she felt she was able to jump into the relationship without sacrificing her ambitions.
Dolly Parton wanted to focus on her career, not get married
In 1964, Parton moved to Nashville the day after her high school graduation. She had been hard at work on her music career since childhood, and this was her biggest step forward yet. She didn’t want anything to get in the way of this.
“A lot of people don’t understand it, and no one who doesn’t have a marriage like ours could understand it,” Parton said in...
Dolly Parton wanted to focus on her career, not get married
In 1964, Parton moved to Nashville the day after her high school graduation. She had been hard at work on her music career since childhood, and this was her biggest step forward yet. She didn’t want anything to get in the way of this.
“A lot of people don’t understand it, and no one who doesn’t have a marriage like ours could understand it,” Parton said in...
- 5/21/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Kris Kristofferson was playing a show in Iowa on Wednesday night, but one of his most famous compositions was blaring throughout Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena at the 53rd annual Cma Awards. Sheryl Crow and Dierks Bentley teamed up to perform Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee” with an assist from Chris Janson on harmonica and Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne and the Eagles’ Joe Walsh on guitar.
The performance was the centerpiece of a tribute to the 83-year-old songwriter and Country Music Hall of Fame member, who received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
The performance was the centerpiece of a tribute to the 83-year-old songwriter and Country Music Hall of Fame member, who received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
- 11/14/2019
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
By the time Dolly Parton had entered her teens, the young girl from the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee had accomplished something that most adults who love to sing country music could only dare dream: she had performed on the Grand Ole Opry.
Parton, who this week celebrates her 50th anniversary as a member of the Opry cast with an all-star salute, was officially inducted as an Opry member in January 1969, by which time she was a nationally recognized TV star alongside Porter Wagoner. But in 1959, the 13-year-old, then unknown outside of Knoxville,...
Parton, who this week celebrates her 50th anniversary as a member of the Opry cast with an all-star salute, was officially inducted as an Opry member in January 1969, by which time she was a nationally recognized TV star alongside Porter Wagoner. But in 1959, the 13-year-old, then unknown outside of Knoxville,...
- 10/11/2019
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
Visionary record producer, label executive and music publisher Fred Foster, who guided the early careers of Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, among many others, died Wednesday in Nashville following a short illness. He was 87.
The founder of Monument Records, which released Parton’s first hit single, “Dumb Blonde,” in 1967, as well as Kristofferson’s early country-pop hit “Why Me” in 1973, Foster was responsible for producing a string of Roy Orbison’s best-known songs in the early Sixties, including “Only the Lonely,” “Running Scared,” “Blue Bayou,” “Crying” and the 1964 classic “Oh,...
The founder of Monument Records, which released Parton’s first hit single, “Dumb Blonde,” in 1967, as well as Kristofferson’s early country-pop hit “Why Me” in 1973, Foster was responsible for producing a string of Roy Orbison’s best-known songs in the early Sixties, including “Only the Lonely,” “Running Scared,” “Blue Bayou,” “Crying” and the 1964 classic “Oh,...
- 2/21/2019
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
Years before recording her latest album Meet Me at the River with countrypolitan monolith Fred Foster, Dawn Landes cut her teeth in Louisville, New York City and Branson, Missouri. It was an unusual country-music education, shaped by the towns she called home and the local music that filled her stereo. Now based in Nashville, Landes puts an indie spin on the classic country tradition, reimagining a retro sound for the modern age.
We’ve rounded up our favorite segments of Dawn Landes’ new appearance on Chris Shiflett’s Walking the Floor,...
We’ve rounded up our favorite segments of Dawn Landes’ new appearance on Chris Shiflett’s Walking the Floor,...
- 11/19/2018
- by Robert Crawford
- Rollingstone.com
Dawn Landes made a deliberate choice about what kind of music she hoped to make when she approached Monument Records founder Fred Foster about producing her new album. Even so, Landes still had to prove her artistic worth to the 86-year-old Country Music Hall of Fame member, who had mostly retired from recording 10 years earlier.
“He didn’t even Google me or anything. He never heard of me, so therefore I didn’t really exist,” says the Kentucky native, who relocated from New York to Nashville with her husband during the recording process.
“He didn’t even Google me or anything. He never heard of me, so therefore I didn’t really exist,” says the Kentucky native, who relocated from New York to Nashville with her husband during the recording process.
- 8/8/2018
- by Jon Freeman
- Rollingstone.com
A massive stroke in 2013 left Randy Travis with a vocabulary limited mostly these days to "yes" and "no." But on Tuesday, he haltingly coaxed out two more words - "thank you" - as he accepted country music's highest honor: a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Struggling to say more, the 56-year-old artist finally motioned for his wife, Mary, to take over what she herself called the "daunting task of being the voice of this man who so eloquently put words to melody to make beautiful music." The poignant moment capped the announcement of the Hall's 2016 class, which...
- 3/29/2016
- by Nancy Kruh
- PEOPLE.com
History has shown us that not every musical hit is unique to the artist. Take Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You." When that catchy tune fell into the hands of the late Whitney Houston, the powerful ballad became an instant success, but many of the people caught humming the melody had no idea a blonde bombshell was the mastermind behind the hit.
Houston's rendition is just one a number of cover songs that eventually became more famous than the originals. We've compiled a list of some of these beloved gems below; let us know which ones surprised you in the comments.
1. "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor (original by Prince/The Family)
O'Connor's breathy song was actually written by "Purple Rain" genius Prince for one of his side projects, The Family. But the Irish songstress was the one whose tears actually brought it to the general public.
2. "All...
Houston's rendition is just one a number of cover songs that eventually became more famous than the originals. We've compiled a list of some of these beloved gems below; let us know which ones surprised you in the comments.
1. "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor (original by Prince/The Family)
O'Connor's breathy song was actually written by "Purple Rain" genius Prince for one of his side projects, The Family. But the Irish songstress was the one whose tears actually brought it to the general public.
2. "All...
- 4/22/2013
- by Katherine Brooks
- Huffington Post
On 'American Idol,' Bowersox earned big praise for singing Janis Joplin's posthumous hit.
By Kyle Anderson
Crystal Bowersox performs on "American Idol" on Wednesday
Photo: Ray Mickshaw / Fox
Once again, one of the highlights of Tuesday night's episode of "American Idol" — which was focused on songs that had hit No. 1 on the pop charts — was Crystal Bowersox's performance. Armed with her trusty guitar and her disarming voice, the rocker sang "Me and Bobby McGee," which reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.
There's a bittersweet feeling within the lyrics of "Bobby," as well as in the story surrounding it. The song was written by country legends Kris Kristofferson (who has had a string of hits himself) and Fred Foster (who produced much of Roy Orbison's best work and helped introduce the world to Dolly Parton) and was recorded by "King of the Road" singer...
By Kyle Anderson
Crystal Bowersox performs on "American Idol" on Wednesday
Photo: Ray Mickshaw / Fox
Once again, one of the highlights of Tuesday night's episode of "American Idol" — which was focused on songs that had hit No. 1 on the pop charts — was Crystal Bowersox's performance. Armed with her trusty guitar and her disarming voice, the rocker sang "Me and Bobby McGee," which reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.
There's a bittersweet feeling within the lyrics of "Bobby," as well as in the story surrounding it. The song was written by country legends Kris Kristofferson (who has had a string of hits himself) and Fred Foster (who produced much of Roy Orbison's best work and helped introduce the world to Dolly Parton) and was recorded by "King of the Road" singer...
- 3/24/2010
- MTV Music News
Crystal Bowersox regained her edge on "American Idol" on Tuesday night - at least according to Simon Cowell.
The dreadlocked singer, who has thus far had a penchant for performing barefoot on a rug with her guitar, tackled a Janis Joplin standard - "Me & Bobby McGee" (written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster) -- for a week made up of Billboard #1 hits, mentored by teen pop sensation Miley Cyrus. Once again, Crystal left Simon swooning.
"You're doing your own thing, you're not sliding all over the stage, jumping into the crowd like we've seen before, gimmicky," ...
Copyright 2010 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The dreadlocked singer, who has thus far had a penchant for performing barefoot on a rug with her guitar, tackled a Janis Joplin standard - "Me & Bobby McGee" (written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster) -- for a week made up of Billboard #1 hits, mentored by teen pop sensation Miley Cyrus. Once again, Crystal left Simon swooning.
"You're doing your own thing, you're not sliding all over the stage, jumping into the crowd like we've seen before, gimmicky," ...
Copyright 2010 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
- 3/24/2010
- by AccessHollywood.com Editorial Staff
- Access Hollywood
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