09/07/2026
The last voice on "Forever Country" was Dolly's, and it was her first take.
Shane McAnally produced it for the CMA's fiftieth anniversary in 2016. Thirty past winners, three songs mashed into one, and he gave Dolly the closing line of "I Will Always Love You." She walked in, sang it once, and that was the vocal they used.
Randy Travis was in the video. He could not sing yet, three years after his stroke, so he just stood there with them.
The song debuted at number one on the country chart. Only two others had ever done that.
Willie is still here. Charley Pride is not. And now the woman who closed it is gone too.
