Dolly Parton Dubbed This Megastar Ancient History In The '70s — But She Couldn't Have Been More Wrong

With her reputation for being as generous and kind-hearted as she is talented, it's hard to imagine that the woman who made Jolene a household name could ever have an unkind word for anyone. But Dolly Parton once made a snarky remark that backfired on her big time. In an insightful and humorous 1978 interview with Playboy, the "I Will Always Love You" hitmaker was asked about the future of her career. "Most people say in this business the life span of a career is five years from the time you really get hot to the time you start getting colder, like an Elton John," Parton mused. Then, thinking better of it, she added, "Maybe I shouldn't call names." Maybe not.

Still, it's easy to understand the country icon's mindset. At the time, Elton's most recent albums, like 1976's "Blue Moves" and "Here and There," didn't enjoy the sales and staying power of earlier masterpieces like "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy." He didn't fare much better in the '80s either. Though some hit singles kept the British singer's career afloat ("I'm Still Standing" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" among them), well-documented struggles with substance abuse, his recovery from throat surgery, and other tragic details of Sir Elton John's life threatened to upend his success altogether. 

Parton elaborated further to explain her view on how she saw her own arc unfolding: "That's just what I heard, that you don't expect to really be the hottest except for maybe five years [...] I think maybe I am right now starting in my first year of from one to five."

Despite her early success — she was co-starring on Porter Wagoner's popular TV show by the time she was 21 — Dolly Parton was skeptical her fame would last. Even in 1978, when she was being inundated with movie offers and book deals, the singer-songwriter figured she had just a few more good years ahead of her before inevitably slipping into obscurity. Of course, she thought the same thing about Elton John, so it's a good thing she's a singer and not a fortuneteller. Once he got his life back into focus, the "Rocket Man" hitmaker went on to release numerous hit singles, not to mention writing the scores for hit stage musicals such as "Aida" and an adaptation of "The Devil Wears Prada." 

Parton has kept up a similar pace, continuing to write and perform well into her eighth decade. That's not even mentioning her popular theme park, her books, and the "9 to 5" hitmaker's awe-inspiring charitable ventures, especially Parton's Imagination Library. In June 2026, the beloved country star launched her own brand of coffee, called (what else?) Cup of Ambition. Far from fading away, these two powerhouses also went on to perform together twice. In 2005, Parton and Elton appeared at the CMA Awards to do a duet of his song "Turn the Lights Out When You Leave." Almost 20 years later, the pair recorded a cover of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" for Parton's "Rockstar" album. 

Elton John wrapped what he said was his last tour in 2023, only to announce in July 2026 that he would play two more dates in Mexico City. Dare we hope that he and Parton might collaborate once more in their lifetimes? Maybe she'll be his surprise guest.