Who Originally Sang I Will Always Love You
The song “I Will Always Love You” was originally written and recorded by Dolly Parton in 1973. She released it as a single and later included it on her album Jolene. The ballad was written as a farewell to her longtime mentor and collaborator Porter Wagoner.
Whitney Houston’s Famous Version
Whitney Houston recorded the song for the soundtrack of the 1992 film The Bodyguard. Her powerful rendition turned it into one of the best-selling singles of all time. Houston’s version popularized the song worldwide and is often the first recording people associate with the title.
Songwriting and Copyright
Dolly Parton retained the publishing rights and is credited as the sole songwriter. She has publicly stated that she wrote the song for Porter Wagoner and later allowed Whitney Houston to record it. The original 1973 release remains the definitive first recording, while Houston’s 1992 version became the most commercially successful.
For more background on the original recording, see the Songfacts entry on I Will Always Love You.
