Whitney Houston

Dolly Parton Reacts To Jennifer Hudson’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ Performance

 
enlarge
  • Dolly Parton/Jennifer Hudson

1/1

  • Getty Images / WireImage

    Dolly Parton/Jennifer Hudson

FIRST PUBLISHED: February 13, 2012 1:57 PM EST

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

Nary was a dry eye left in the house inside Staples Center on Sunday night, when Jennifer Hudson took the stage to perform “I Will Always Love You” as a tribute to Whitney Houston.

But the performance was increasingly personal for one fellow music icon, who has a special connection to that song – Dolly Parton.

“I was brought to tears again last night, as I’m sure many were, when Jennifer Hudson sang ‘I Will Always Love You’ on the Grammys in memory of Whitney,” Dolly – who originally the song in 1974 – said in a statement to Access Hollywood on Monday.

Although Whitney brought the song to new heights when she recorded it for “The Bodyguard” soundtrack in 1992, with the track spending an astounding 14 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart, it was Dolly who originally wrote the song in June 1973 for her longtime partner & mentor Porter Wagoner – achieving her own chart success, hitting #1 twice with the song on the Billboard country charts.

“Like everybody else, I am still in shock. But I know that Whitney will live forever in all the great music that she left behind. I will always have a very special piece of her in the song we shared together and had the good fortune to share with the world,” Dolly’s statement continued. “Rest in peace, Whitney. Again, we will always love you.”

Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For breaking news and personal commentary from our hosts and producers, follow us on and !

    
    
 
 

More Articles

More Videos

 

Featured Poll

Who was the best dressed beauty at the Grammys?

  • Rihanna stuns in a plunging black gown at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 12, 2012
     
  • Rihanna stuns in a plunging black gown at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 12, 2012
     
  • Adele dazzles at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 12, 2012
     
  • Carrie Underwood dazzles at The 54th Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 12, 2012
     
  • Alicia Keys arrives at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 12, 2012
     
  • Julianne Hough dazzles in black at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 12, 2012