Solo Artist · The Queen of Country

Dolly Parton

Active1964-present
OriginSevier County, Tennessee
Albums40
Tracks464

Most frequent collaborator: Kent Wells  ·  97 tracks

CountryBluegrassPopGospelSoft Rock
59%
Authorship
Collaborator

Holds writing credit on 274 of 464 tracks

Did Dolly Parton write her own songs?

Yes, almost all of them. Dolly Parton is one of the most prolific songwriters in music history, with over 3,000 songs to her name. She wrote 'Jolene,' 'I Will Always Love You,' 'Coat of Many Colors,' and '9 to 5' herself, both words and music. A handful of her hits came from outside writers, most famously 'Here You Come Again,' but the vast majority of her catalogue is her own.

By the Numbers

40
Studio Albums
464
Tracks Credited
59%
Self-Written
100M+
Records Sold
62
Years Active
317
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 274 / 464 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 464 tracks: how many Dolly Parton wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Dolly Parton has a writing credit59%
53%
6%
41%
Sole author248tracks53%
Co-written26tracks6%
Outside writers190tracks41%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Dolly Parton's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 464 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)59%
Composer (music)59%
Producer33%
Performer88%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Dolly Parton's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 59%
83%
50%
30%
70%
100%
100%
60%
80%
80%
80%
100%
80%
80%
40%
60%
40%
40%
0%
60%
0%
40%
20%
40%
73%
75%
100%
0%
100%
31%
50%
86%
39%
0%
75%
100%
67%
100%
60%
100%
30%
1967Hello, I'm Dolly
1969In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)
1971Golden Streets of Glory
1971Coat of Many Colors
1972Touch Your Woman
1973My Tennessee Mountain Home
1973Bubbling Over
1974Jolene
1974Love Is Like a Butterfly
1975The Bargain Store
1975Dolly
1976All I Can Do
1977New Harvest... First Gathering
1977Here You Come Again
1978Heartbreaker
1979Great Balls of Fire
19809 to 5 and Odd Jobs
1980Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
1983Burlap & Satin
1984The Great Pretender
1985Real Love
1987Rainbow
1989White Limozeen
1991Eagle When She Flies
1993Slow Dancing with the Moon
1995Something Special
1996Treasures
1998Hungry Again
1999The Grass Is Blue
2001Little Sparrow
2002Halos & Horns
2003For God and Country
2005Those Were the Days
2008Backwoods Barbie
2011Better Day
2014Blue Smoke
2016Pure & Simple
2020A Holly Dolly Christmas
2022Run, Rose, Run
2023Rockstar
Early · 74% written
Mid · 47% written
Late · 57% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

67%
1960s
Hello, I'm Dolly, In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)
71%
1970s
Golden Streets of Glory, Coat of Many Colors +12 more
29%
1980s
9 to 5 and Odd Jobs, Dolly, Dolly, Dolly +5 more
62%
1990s
Eagle When She Flies, Slow Dancing with the Moon +4 more
50%
2000s
Little Sparrow, Halos & Horns +3 more
88%
2010s
Better Day, Blue Smoke +1 more
53%
2020s
A Holly Dolly Christmas, Run, Rose, Run +1 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Dolly Parton sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Dolly Parton
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Elvis Presley1%
Ray Charles14%
The Jacksons24%
Eric Clapton40%
Michael Jackson51%
David Bowie88%
Elton John97%
59%Dolly Parton
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Dumb Blonde
Hello, I'm Dolly
Written by Curly Putman
Outside writers
Something Fishy
Hello, I'm Dolly
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)
In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
My Blue Tears
Coat of Many Colors
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Coat of Many Colors
Coat of Many Colors
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Touch Your Woman
Touch Your Woman
Written by Dolly Rebecca Parton
Wrote it
My Tennessee Mountain Home
My Tennessee Mountain Home
Written by Dolly Rebecca Parton
Wrote it
Traveling Man
Bubbling Over
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Jolene
Jolene
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
I Will Always Love You
Jolene
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Love Is Like a Butterfly
Love Is Like a Butterfly
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
The Bargain Store
The Bargain Store
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
The Seeker
Dolly
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
We Used To
Dolly
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Hey, Lucky Lady
All I Can Do
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
All I Can Do
All I Can Do
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Light of a Clear Blue Morning
New Harvest... First Gathering
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Here You Come Again
Here You Come Again
Written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil
Outside writers
Two Doors Down
Here You Come Again
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
It's All Wrong, But It's All Right
Here You Come Again
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker
Written by Carole Bayer Sager, David Wolfert
Outside writers
I Really Got the Feeling
Heartbreaker
Written by Billy Vera
Outside writers
Great Balls of Fire
Great Balls of Fire
Written by Jack Hammer, Otis Blackwell
Outside writers
9 to 5
9 to 5 and Odd Jobs
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
But You Know I Love You
9 to 5 and Odd Jobs
Written by Mike Settle
Outside writers
The House of the Rising Sun
9 to 5 and Odd Jobs
Written by Traditional
Outside writers
Starting Over Again
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
Written by Bruce Sudano, Donna Summer
Outside writers
Potential New Boyfriend
Burlap & Satin
Written by John Lewis Parker, Steve Kipner
Outside writers
Save the Last Dance for Me
The Great Pretender
Written by Mort Shuman, Doc Pomus
Outside writers
Downtown
The Great Pretender
Written by Tony Hatch
Outside writers
Don't Call It Love
Real Love
Written by Tom Snow, Dean Pitchford
Outside writers
Real Love
Real Love
Written by Randy McCormick, Richard "Spady" Brannan, David Malloy
Outside writers
Think About Love
Real Love
Written by Tom Campbell, Richard "Spady" Brannan
Outside writers
Tie Our Love (In a Double Knot)
Real Love
Written by John Reid, Jeff Silbar
Outside writers
The River Unbroken
Rainbow
Written by Darrell Brown, David Batteau
Outside writers
Yellow Roses
White Limozeen
Written by Dolly Rebecca Parton
Wrote it
Time for Me to Fly
White Limozeen
Written by Kevin Cronin
Outside writers
White Limozeen
White Limozeen
Written by Mac Davis, Dolly Rebecca Parton
Co-wrote
Rockin' Years
Eagle When She Flies
Written by Floyd Parton
Outside writers
Silver and Gold
Eagle When She Flies
Written by Carl Perkins, Gregg Perkins, Stan Perkins
Outside writers
Eagle When She Flies
Eagle When She Flies
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Romeo
Slow Dancing with the Moon
Written by Dolly Rebecca Parton
Wrote it
More Where That Came From
Slow Dancing with the Moon
Written by Dolly Rebecca Parton
Wrote it
Just When I Needed You Most
Treasures
Written by Randy VanWarmer
Outside writers
Peace Train
Treasures
Written by Joseph Shabalala, Cat Stevens
Outside writers
Honky Tonk Songs
Hungry Again
Written by Dolly Rebecca Parton
Wrote it
If
Halos & Horns
Written by David Gates
Outside writers
Hello God
Halos & Horns
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
Both Sides Now
Those Were the Days
Written by Joni Mitchell
Outside writers
The Twelfth of Never
Those Were the Days
Written by Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster
Outside writers
Jesus & Gravity
Backwoods Barbie
Written by Betsy Ulmer, Craig Wiseman
Outside writers
Together You and I
Better Day
Written by Dolly Parton
Wrote it
You Can't Make Old Friends
Blue Smoke
Written by Ryan Hanna King, Don Schlitz, Caitlyn Smith
Outside writers
Mary, Did You Know?
A Holly Dolly Christmas
Written by Mark Lowry, Buddy Greene
Outside writers
Christmas on the Square
A Holly Dolly Christmas
Written by Dolly Rebecca Parton
Wrote it
Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas
A Holly Dolly Christmas
Written by Dolly Rebecca Parton
Wrote it
I Still Believe
A Holly Dolly Christmas
Written by Kent Wells, Dolly Rebecca Parton
Co-wrote
World On Fire
Rockstar
Written by Dolly Rebecca Parton
Wrote it

Discography 40 albums

This page covers 40 of Dolly Parton's 50+ studio albums, focusing on her major and most influential releases. Full catalog data is planned.

Hello, I'm Dolly cover
196783%

Hello, I'm Dolly

Monument

12 tracks
 In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) cover
196950%

In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)

RCA Victor

12 tracks
 Golden Streets of Glory cover
197130%

Golden Streets of Glory

10 tracks
 Coat of Many Colors cover
197170%

Coat of Many Colors

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 Touch Your Woman cover
1972100%

Touch Your Woman

10 tracks
 My Tennessee Mountain Home cover
1973100%

My Tennessee Mountain Home

10 tracks
 Bubbling Over cover
197360%

Bubbling Over

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 Jolene cover
197480%

Jolene

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 Love Is Like a Butterfly cover
197480%

Love Is Like a Butterfly

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 The Bargain Store cover
197580%

The Bargain Store

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 Dolly cover
1975100%

Dolly

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 All I Can Do cover
197680%

All I Can Do

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 New Harvest... First Gathering cover
197780%

New Harvest... First Gathering

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 Here You Come Again cover
197740%

Here You Come Again

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 Heartbreaker cover
197860%

Heartbreaker

10 tracks
 Great Balls of Fire cover
197940%

Great Balls of Fire

10 tracks
 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs cover
198040%

9 to 5 and Odd Jobs

RCA Victor

10 tracks
 Dolly, Dolly, Dolly cover
19800%

Dolly, Dolly, Dolly

10 tracks
 Burlap & Satin cover
198360%

Burlap & Satin

10 tracks
 The Great Pretender cover
19840%

The Great Pretender

10 tracks
 Real Love cover
198540%

Real Love

10 tracks
 Rainbow cover
198720%

Rainbow

Columbia

10 tracks
 White Limozeen cover
198940%

White Limozeen

Columbia

10 tracks
 Eagle When She Flies cover
199173%

Eagle When She Flies

Columbia

11 tracks
 Slow Dancing with the Moon cover
199375%

Slow Dancing with the Moon

12 tracks
 Something Special cover
1995100%

Something Special

10 tracks
 Treasures cover
19960%

Treasures

11 tracks
 Hungry Again cover
1998100%

Hungry Again

Decca Nashville

12 tracks
 The Grass Is Blue cover
199931%

The Grass Is Blue

13 tracks
 Little Sparrow cover
200150%

Little Sparrow

14 tracks
 Halos & Horns cover
200286%

Halos & Horns

Sugar Hill Records

14 tracks
 For God and Country cover
200339%

For God and Country

18 tracks
 Those Were the Days cover
20050%

Those Were the Days

12 tracks
 Backwoods Barbie cover
200875%

Backwoods Barbie

Dolly Records

12 tracks
 Better Day cover
2011100%

Better Day

Dolly Records

12 tracks
 Blue Smoke cover
201467%

Blue Smoke

Dolly Records

12 tracks
 Pure & Simple cover
2016100%

Pure & Simple

Dolly Records

10 tracks
 A Holly Dolly Christmas cover
202060%

A Holly Dolly Christmas

15 tracks
 Run, Rose, Run cover
2022100%

Run, Rose, Run

Butterfly Records

12 tracks
 Rockstar cover
202330%

Rockstar

30 tracks

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Dolly Parton464 tracks
KW97 BF93 SB70 PW38 GP31 GK30

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. KW Kent Wells · BF Bob Ferguson · SB Steve Buckingham · PW Porter Wagoner · GP Gregg Perry · GK Gary Klein

The Writers & Producers Behind Dolly Parton 6 key collaborators

KW
Kent Wells
Producer
For God and Country / Backwoods Barbie / Better Day / Blue Smoke97 tracks
BF
Bob Ferguson
Producer
In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) / Golden Streets of Glory / Coat of Many Colors / Touch Your Woman93 tracks
SB
Steve Buckingham
Producer
Eagle When She Flies / Slow Dancing with the Moon / Something Special / Treasures70 tracks
PW
Porter Wagoner
Producer & Songwriter
Coat of Many Colors / Bubbling Over / Jolene / Love Is Like a Butterfly38 tracks
GP
Gregg Perry
Producer
New Harvest... First Gathering / Great Balls of Fire / 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs / Burlap & Satin31 tracks
GK
Gary Klein
Producer
Here You Come Again / Heartbreaker / Dolly, Dolly, Dolly30 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

What separates Dolly Parton from virtually every other major country star of her era, and most eras, is that she writes the overwhelming majority of her own material as both lyricist and composer. Where Nashville peers like Kenny Rogers built careers almost entirely on outside songs and Luke Bryan relies on a professional songwriting pipeline, Parton authored the words and music of her biggest hits herself: 'Jolene,' 'I Will Always Love You,' 'Coat of Many Colors,' '9 to 5,' 'Light of a Clear Blue Morning,' all entirely hers. 'I Will Always Love You' is a particularly striking case: Whitney Houston's blockbuster cover made it one of the best-selling singles of all time, but every royalty dollar flows back to Dolly as sole songwriter. She is the rare superstar for whom authorship and performance are one and the same, a songwriter's songwriter operating at the highest level of commercial success.

Quick Facts

  • SongwriterOver 3,000 songs written across her career
  • Grammys11 wins
  • Halls of FameCountry Music (1999) and Rock and Roll (2022)
  • Signature royaltyWrote 'I Will Always Love You,' later a Whitney Houston blockbuster
  • RangeCountry, bluegrass, pop, and gospel

Creative Fingerprint

A songwriter's songwriter: Parton wrote the words and music to the overwhelming majority of her catalogue herself, from 'Jolene' to '9 to 5,' a rarity among country superstars of her era.

The Story

Dolly Parton is one of the most decorated and beloved figures in the history of American music, with a career spanning more than six decades and a catalog that touches country, pop, bluegrass, and gospel. Born in rural poverty in Sevier County, Tennessee, she moved to Nashville the day after high school graduation and quickly established herself as both a distinctive singer and an extraordinarily gifted songwriter. With over 3,000 songs credited to her name, she has written some of the most recognized and covered compositions in modern music history, including 'Jolene,' 'I Will Always Love You,' and '9 to 5.'

Awards & Recognition

Over 100 million records sold, one of the best-selling music artists of all time
Eleven Grammy Awards across her career
Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (1999) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2022)
Has written more than 3,000 songs, among the most of any songwriter in popular music
Wrote 'I Will Always Love You,' whose Whitney Houston cover became one of the best-selling singles of all time

Frequently Asked Questions Dolly Parton

Did Dolly Parton write her own songs?
Yes, almost all of them. Dolly Parton is one of the most prolific songwriters in music history, with over 3,000 songs to her name. She wrote 'Jolene,' 'I Will Always Love You,' 'Coat of Many Colors,' and '9 to 5' herself, both words and music. A handful of her hits came from outside writers, most famously 'Here You Come Again,' but the vast majority of her catalogue is her own.
Did Dolly Parton write 'I Will Always Love You'?
Yes. Dolly Parton wrote 'I Will Always Love You' in 1973 as a farewell to her mentor Porter Wagoner. Whitney Houston's 1992 cover became one of the best-selling singles of all time, but Parton remains its sole writer and collects the royalties.
Did Dolly Parton write 'Jolene'?
Yes. 'Jolene' (1974) is entirely Dolly Parton's work, and one of the most covered country songs ever written.
Who wrote 'Here You Come Again'?
'Here You Come Again' (1977) was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, not by Dolly. It was one of her biggest crossover pop hits and a rare case of her recording an outside song.
How many songs has Dolly Parton written?
More than 3,000, by her own count, which she has said dates back to songs she wrote as a child in Tennessee.
How many albums has Dolly Parton released?
This catalogue covers 40 of her studio albums, from Hello, I'm Dolly (1967) across six decades to Rockstar (2023).
How many Grammys has Dolly Parton won?
Eleven Grammy Awards over the course of her career.
Is Dolly Parton in the Hall of Fame?
Yes, twice over. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
Did Dolly Parton write '9 to 5'?
Yes. She wrote '9 to 5' for the 1980 film of the same name, in which she also starred, and it topped both the country and pop charts.
Why is Dolly Parton called the Queen of Country?
The title reflects her standing as one of the most successful, prolific, and beloved figures in country music, a six-decade career as both a songwriter and performer that few others have matched.

Sources

Wikipedia: Dolly Parton Wikipedia: Hello, I'm Dolly Wikipedia: Coat of Many Colors Wikipedia: Jolene (album) Wikipedia: Love Is Like a Butterfly Wikipedia: New Harvest... First Gathering Wikipedia: Here You Come Again (album) Wikipedia: 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs Wikipedia: Eagle When She Flies Wikipedia: Halos & Horns Wikipedia: Blue Smoke (Dolly Parton album) AllMusic, Dolly Parton