Long before Witney Houston took Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” to the top of the charts, Tucson native Linda Ronstadt recorded a stripped-down version of the song on her 1975 album “Prisoner in Disguise.”
The song was never released as a single, but critics praised Ronstadt’s raw, emotional interpretation.
Linda Ronstadt signs autographs at Tucson's Symphony Cotillion Ball in 1977.
Houston’s 1992 version turned the song into a powerhouse ballad on the soundtrack for Houston’s film debut in “The Bodyguard,” earning her a pair of Grammys and a then-record 14 weeks atop Billboard’s Hot 100.
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Dolly Parton in 2017.
The 80-year-old Ronstadt, hours after Parton’s death was announced on Tuesday, mourned her longtime friend in a Facebook post, saying, “The world is a poorer place without her.”
The pair and mutual friend Emmylou Harris had a long history going back to 1975 that included recording their 1987 Grammy-winning album “Trio” and the 1999 Grammy-winning follow-up, “Trio II.”
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Bluesky @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
