Dolly Parton Wasn’t Eligible for Song of the Year Grammy for ‘I Will Always Love You’ for This ‘Unforgettable’ Reason
The Grammys have tinkered with the rules on song of the year many times, trying to strike just the right balance.
Dolly Parton missed out on the Song of the Year Grammy for her hit "I Will Always Love You," despite being the song's writer. The reason behind her lack of eligibility is a long-standing rule change. In 1992, Irving Gordon won the song of the year for "Unforgettable," a pop standard that had been around for 40 years since Nat King Cole and Doris Day recorded it in the 1950s.
The Recording Academy decided to tighten the eligibility rule to prevent already famous songs from being awarded. Parton's song, although not as well-known prior to its appearance in The Bodyguard, would have been a strong contender. The current rule requires a song to have been first released or achieve prominence during the eligibility period.
Most Song of the Year winners were new songs or had not gained widespread recognition before winning.
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