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Charles Sykes/BravoWhitney Houston turned Dolly Parton‘s classic country hit “I Will Always Love You” into a record-setting pop smash, but legendary singer Patti LaBelle says she was approached about recording the song before Whitney cut it for The Bodyguard soundtrack.
On Monday’s Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, LaBelle says Parton personally asked her to cover her song.
“Dolly Parton offered it to me before The Bodyguard, and I said to Dolly, ‘Oh, yes. I want to do that song, honey,'” LaBelle recalled. “Before I could say a real yes, it was in the movie and Whitney killed it.”
But Patti says she was okay with that. In fact, she says Whitney was the perfect fit for the track.
“I was so happy Whitney got that song and it just went like it did,” LaBelle said. “But Dolly Parton and I had planned, ‘Patti, you’re going to sing that song.’ Next!'”
“That’s how show business is!” Patti added, noting that she’d like to perform it in her live show one day.
Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” won the singer the 1993 Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The song is also one of the best-selling singles of all time.
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