PRISCILLA PRESLEY’S “I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU” STORY DOESN’T ADD UP — DID ELVIS KNOW DOLLY PARTON’S SONG BEFORE IT WAS RELEASED?
A haunting memory. A legendary song. A courthouse goodbye. And a timeline that has Elvis fans asking one very big question: How could Elvis have sung “I Will Always Love You” to Priscilla Presley in October 1973 if Dolly Parton’s famous recording wasn’t officially released until March 1974?
The story has resurfaced after Dolly Parton discussed meeting Priscilla Presley in a 2024 interview. According to Dolly, Priscilla shared a deeply emotional memory with her: after Elvis and Priscilla left the courthouse following the finalization of their divorce, Elvis allegedly sang “I Will Always Love You” to her as they walked down the courthouse steps.
It sounds like an unforgettable Hollywood moment.
But there is one enormous problem.
The dates.
Dolly Parton recorded “I Will Always Love You” in June 1973. Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s divorce was finalized on October 9, 1973. However, Dolly’s recording was not officially released as a single until March 18, 1974, months after Elvis and Priscilla walked out of that courthouse.
And that raises a fascinating question:
Did Elvis somehow hear the song before its official release?
Or is there another explanation for the story?
The timeline becomes even more intriguing when Priscilla’s own books are examined.
In Elvis and Me, Priscilla does not appear to describe Elvis singing “I Will Always Love You” to her as they left the courthouse.
And in Softly, As I Leave You, she also does not place the song at the courthouse farewell.
Instead, Priscilla describes the moment much later in the book, when discussing her relationship with Elvis after their divorce.
She explains that although they were no longer married, they remained friends. Elvis continued visiting her when he was in Los Angeles, even while he was involved with other women.
Then comes the extraordinary passage.
Priscilla recalls one particular evening when she and Elvis embraced before he left. She says Elvis looked directly into her eyes and told her:
“I will always love you, Satin.”
According to Priscilla, Elvis wanted her to know that he would always love her.
Then, as he walked out into the night, she says he began singing the lyrics of Dolly Parton’s song — including the famous line about leaving but thinking of someone every step of the way.
That version of the story places the emotional “I Will Always Love You” moment after the divorce, rather than specifically on the courthouse steps immediately following the divorce proceedings.
So what happened?
Did Priscilla simply remember two separate moments and later connect them?
Did Elvis actually hear Dolly’s song before its commercial release?
Could he have obtained an advance copy, acetate, demo, or other early recording?
Or has the memory evolved over the decades as the story has been retold?
That possibility cannot simply be dismissed. A song being officially released as a single in March 1974 does not necessarily mean nobody connected to the music industry could have heard it before then. Recordings can circulate privately, through demos, advance copies, industry contacts, performances, or other unofficial channels.
But there is another fascinating detail.
Priscilla herself later appeared to reaffirm the courthouse version of the story on social media. In a post referring to her conversation with Dolly, she recalled that after she and Elvis left the courthouse following their divorce, he sang the song to her as they walked down the steps together. She added that years later, she shared that memory with Dolly.
That makes the mystery even more compelling.
Because now we have two versions of the timeline: the memory associated with the courthouse in October 1973, and the account in Softly, As I Leave You, which appears to describe Elvis singing the song during a later encounter.
And there is one more important piece of the puzzle.
Dolly Parton’s recording became a massive hit, eventually reaching No. 1 on the charts in 1974. Elvis reportedly became interested in recording the song after hearing how successful it had become.
If that account is accurate, it makes the October 1973 courthouse story even harder to reconcile.
Perhaps Elvis heard an early version.
Perhaps he encountered the song before its official release.
Perhaps Priscilla’s recollection refers to a different moment.
Or perhaps there is a missing piece of Elvis history that fans simply have not uncovered yet.
Whatever the explanation, the story is fascinating because it involves three legendary names — Elvis Presley, Priscilla Presley, and Dolly Parton — and one of the most recognizable love songs in music history.
And maybe the biggest question isn’t whether Elvis really sang “I Will Always Love You.”
Maybe the real question is:
WHEN did Elvis first hear it — and where did he get the song?
Until someone finds a document, recording, interview, or firsthand testimony that settles the timeline, this remains one of those intriguing Presley stories that leaves more questions than answers.
What do YOU think?
Did Elvis have access to Dolly Parton’s song before its official release?
Was there an early recording circulating privately?
Or could Priscilla have been remembering a later moment and connecting it to the emotional day of their divorce?
The timeline may not be as simple as it first appears — and Elvis fans may have a mystery worth investigating.
