Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' 'Islands in the Stream' was written by the Bee Gees.

'Islands in the Stream' was another massive crossover hit for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.

Dolly Parton teamed up with country star Porter Wagoner in 1967 as a cohost on his popular TV show.

Before becoming a country superstar, Dolly Parton recorded girl group-style singles as a teenager, including one that became a hit outside the US.

Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' was partly based on a real woman who flirted with Parton's husband.

Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You' is a widely covered standard that's been a No. 1 hit multiple times.

Elvis Presley wanted to record 'I Will Always Love You,' but Dolly Parton refused.

Dolly Parton released her first recording at age 13, a rockabilly number she cowrote called 'Puppy Love.'

Prince wrote a song for Kenny Rogers under the name Joey Coco

The enigmatic artist was wildly prolific and, when he wasn't churning out his own records, often wrote and produced other people. He contributed "You're My Love" to country icon Kenny Rogers' 1986 album "They Don't Make Them Like They Used To," though you wouldn't have known that reading the record's credits because the song was attributed to Joey Coco, a pseudonym Prince sometimes used.

Dolly Parton hosted two separate variety television shows called 'Dolly.'

Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You' was written as a goodbye for her musical collaborator, Porter Wagoner.

Dolly Parton recorded two albums with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris under the name Trio.

A young Dolly Parton felt confined by her partnership with country star and TV host Porter Wagoner.

As disco grew more popular, country star Dolly Parton experimented with the genre.

Dolly Parton wrote the song '9 to 5' on the set of the movie '9 to 5.'

'9 to 5' was Dolly Parton's first No. 1 pop hit.

Dolly Parton jumped to Hollywood in the 1980s, where she became a bona fide movie star.

Explore the best Dolly Parton songs, including 'Jolene,' '9 to 5,' and many more.

Dolly Parton initially declined her nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, though the Hall inducted her anyways.

Three rock stars who made great country music

Steven Tyler, Tina Turner, and Darius Rucker all crossed into country. The author claims the trio shared a common trait: they weren't chasing a new audience. Instead, they were delving deeper into a sound already present in their work.

Bob Dylan wrote and recorded songs that later became hits when they were covered by artists like Jimi Hendrix, Adele, and Guns N' Roses.

Read a 1984 interview with Dolly Parton, conducted by artist Andy Warhol.

'Over the Rainbow' became a widely covered standard

Judy Garland’s original 1939 version won the Academy Award for best original song, though it never appeared on the Billboard pop singles chart (which didn’t appear until 1940). Twenty different versions of the song by other artists—including Willie Nelson, Patti LaBelle, and Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole—have appeared on numerous Billboard charts.

Marvin Gaye's soulful take on 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game turned the national anthem into a slow jam.

Check out the records stocked in the jukebox at the Stonewall Inn, the bar responsible for modern Pride celebrations.

Carole King wrote—and later regretted—the song 'He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss),' which she now believes excuses domestic violence.

Barrett Strong's 'Money (That's What I Want)' was Motown's first hit record, reaching both Billboard's R&B and pop charts in 1960.

Diana Ross starred in a Motown-produced biopic about Billie Holiday

The 1972 film "Lady Sings the Blues" was loosely based on Holiday's autobiography and starred Ross, then pursuing her post-Supremes solo career. The Motown production had big names (including Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor) and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including one for Ross' performance. You can watch the film below.

Dolly Parton consistently declined opportunities to align herself with politicians.

Woody Guthrie wrote an erotic ode to Ingrid Bergman, which was unearthed years later by Guthrie's daughter.

Brian Wilson originally wrote the Beach Boys' classic 'Don't Worry Baby' for the Ronettes, but the legendary girl group rejected it.

Woody Guthrie wrote 'This Land Is Your Land' as a sarcastic response to 'God Bless America.'

The 1927 'Bristol Sessions' birthed the modern country industry

Country music has been around since the early American colonies, but the modern country industry began in 1927 in a small town on the Tennessee-Virginia border. Here, Ralph Peer recorded songs from the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, and a dozen more artists through a 12-day stint called "The Bristol Sessions."

A Tennessee children's hospital changed its name to Dolly Parton Children's Hospital.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program provides free books to kids.

Before they found fame as solo artists, Rick James and Neil Young both played in a band that was signed to Motown Records.

'The Grand Ole Opry' turned Nashville into the country music capital

By 1932, country was being broadcast to 30 states and parts of Canada. That influence turned the Tennessee city into a destination for those interested in working in the budding industry.

The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson said 'Be My Baby' is 'the greatest record ever produced.'

Stan Getz initially didn't want to release 'The Girl from Ipanema,' which would go on to become one of the most popular jazz recordings ever.

Chris Stapleton's 'Tennessee Whiskey' is the bestselling country record of all time.

Dolly Parton produced the original 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' movie.

The harmonizing Louvin Brothers continued country's religious tradition

You won't find a better pair of harmonizers than brothers Ira and Charlie Louvin, whose records became cornerstones of country, bluegrass, and gospel. This podcast examines the brothers' remarkable approach to singing, along with the close relationship that made them such ideal musical partners—and what ultimately tore them apart.

Broadway hit 'Stereophonic' was inspired by Fleetwood Mac

The show follows a 1970s rock band while they're in the studio, tracking a new album, and mirrors many of the internal conflicts that led to Fleetwood Mac's 1977 record, "Rumours." The play was a massive hit, earning 13 Tony nominations (the most ever for a play). It won five, including best play.

Country musicians grappled with the outlaw archetype on screen

As country grew more popular, some of its biggest stars leapt to the silver screen, with Johnny Cash in "Five Minutes to Live," Kris Kristofferson in "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid," and Dolly Parton in "9 to 5." Kristin Hunt notes that all of these films featured country stars toying with the outlaw archetype, a prevalent theme throughout the history of country music.

Bossa nova standard 'The Girl from Ipanema,' made famous by Astrud Gilberto, is one of jazz's most famous songs.

'Show Boat' redefined the American musical

The 1927 musical—penned by Oscar Hammerstein II, who would go on to create, with Richard Rodgers, other titanic shows like "Oklahoma!" and "Carousel"—used its songs to advance the plot and build character rather than simply entertain.

Watch Diana Ross posthumously induct Billie Holiday into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Holiday was posthumously inducted into the Hall in 2000 for her influence on the generations that followed her. Fittingly, Diana Ross, who played Holiday in a 1972 biopic, did the honors. She took the opportunity to sing an acapella verse of "Strange Fruit" and then offer some honorific poetry: "In this, a lesson: Artist, handle with care. Don't lose yourself in the music, beware stardom's glare."

The Shirelles' 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' was the first girl group record to reach No. 1

The 1960 song, composed by husband-and-wife Brill Building occupants Gerry Goffin and Carole King, was more than a little suggestive. The main character wondered if her partner would abandon her after a night of passion, leading to some stations banning the record. But it also propelled the song to the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

Honky-tonk features a rollicking stomp

Widely considered the first honky-tonk song, Ernest Tubb’s "Walking the Floor Over You" is a perfect example of the subgenre's upbeat percussion, barroom piano, and chippy lyricism. The song is a country music classic, being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and preserved in the Library of Congress.

In the late '80s, Dylan formed the Traveling Wilburys with other rock legends

The word “supergroup” gets tossed around plenty in rock ‘n’ roll, but it’s never been more apt than with the Traveling Wilburys, a late '80s band featuring Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne. At the time, Dylan was feeling creatively adrift and far removed from the passion of his earlier work. The winking alter-egos of the Wilburys reinvigorated him, leading to a great record and a renaissance in Dylan’s solo career.

The American girl groups of the 1950s and '60s had a profound influence on The Beatles, who frequently paid homage to acts like the Marvelettes and the Ronettes