Dolly Parton's refusal to give Elvis half her publishing rights preserved royalties worth millions when Whitney Houston covered the song

Elvis Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded half the publishing rights to "I Will Always Love You" before Presley would record it. Dolly Parton refused, saying she would leave the rights to her family. Whitney Houston's later cover topped charts worldwide, and Parton retained the full songwriter and publisher royalties from one of the bestselling singles ever recorded.