The Greatest Cover Songs of All-time: 4. Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You"

The Greatest Cover Songs of All-time: 4. Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You"

From Hitmaker Chronicles by Hitmakers Music Podcast / Caloroga Shark Media

May 17, 2026 · 15 min

About this episode

The episode explores the history and impact of Whitney Houston's cover of 'I Will Always Love You' and its origins with Dolly Parton.

Dolly Parton wrote "I Will Always Love You" in 1973 about leaving Porter Wagoner's show—loving someone enough to say goodbye. 1974: #1 country hit. Then Elvis wanted it, but Colonel Tom Parker demanded half the publishing rights. Dolly said no—hardest decision ever, but saved her fortune. 1992: Whitney Houston recorded it for The Bodyguard soundtrack. Producer David Foster's genius: a cappella opening, gradual build, that key change two-thirds through. November 1992: debuted #1, stayed fourteen consecutive weeks, best-selling single by female artist ever (20M+ copies), Grammy Record of the Year. Dolly made millions from royalties. Whitney's voice at absolute peak. Became burden in later years. Garrett Fisher explores two masterpieces from one song, business savvy, and knowing your worth. Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media! Get all our shows on any player you love, hassle free! For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus . No plug-ins needed! Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily…

People in this episode

Guest: Garrett Fisher

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: I Will Always Love You, The Bodyguard

More episodes of Hitmaker Chronicles

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Hitmaker Chronicles podcast page.