The song was originally written and performed by Dolly Parton in 1974. She wrote it for her mentor and partner Porter Wagoner after leaving their band.
The song was originally written and performed by Dolly Parton in 1974. She wrote it for her mentor and partner Porter Wagoner after leaving their band.
Many dozens of major hit songs in the pre-Beatles 50s and 60s were covers of sons previously recorded by black artists. The covering bands & labels did not have to get permission to cover the songs … the laws allowed anyone to record them it without negotiating a license, but still had to pay the statutory royalty fees.
Before Alan Freed, black music was not played on most radio stations.