Dolly Parton Used Royalties From "I Will Always Love You" To Support Black Neighborhood

BY Erika Marie 3.5K Views
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Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston
The music icon was asked how she spent the royalties from Whitney Houston's 1992 remake of her song, and she honored the late singer.

The song became a mega-success for Whitney Houston as she poured her heart out in the studio belting "I Will Always Love You" for The Bodyguard soundtrack, but at the time, not many of her fans knew that the track was a Dolly Parton original. The Country music icon has been a beloved figure in the industry for decades as she has often defied those who share her demographic. 

Miley Cyrus's godmother caught up with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live and was asked about her career, and the host wanted to know the greatest gift she'd purchased for herself using the royalties earned from Houston's remake of her 1973 song.

"I bought my big office complex down in Nashville. So I thought, 'Well, this is a wonderful place to be,'" Parton answered. "I bought a property down in what was the Black area of town, and it was mostly just Black families and people that lived around there. It was off the beaten path from 16th Avenue and I thought, 'Well, I am gonna buy this place — the whole strip mall.' And I thought, 'This is the perfect place for me to be,' considering it was Whitney."

"I thought this was great," she added. "I'm just gonna be down here with her people, who are my people as well. So, I just love the fact that I spent that money on a complex and I think, 'This is the house that Whitney built.'"

Watch a clip of Parton on Watch What Happens Live Below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.