From the recording I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU - DOLLY PARTON TRIBUTE
Before you hear this song, I just want to say a few words from me and from all of us in the Blue Wave Revival Band. Like a whole lot of people, we grew up hearing Dolly Parton’s voice somewhere in the background of our lives. On the radio, on television, in movies, at home, in the car — she was just always there. And somehow, she never felt distant. She felt familiar. Like somebody you knew.
What I always respected about Dolly was that she never seemed to forget where she came from. She could be larger than life and still talk about ordinary people, working families, hard times, love, heartbreak, and hope in a way that felt real.
So when we heard that she was gone, this one hit us.
The Blue Wave Revival Band is made up of fifteen veterans, and most of us have lived enough life to know how much music can stay with you. Certain songs become tied to memories, people, places, and moments you never forget. Dolly gave the world a whole lot of those songs.
We wanted to honor her in the best way we know how — with music.
We chose “I Will Always Love You” because right now, those words feel like they belong to everyone who loved her music and is having a hard time saying goodbye.
So from me and from every member of the Blue Wave Revival Band...
Thank you, Dolly.
Thank you for the songs, the laughter, the heart, and all those years of memories.
This is our tribute to you.
“I Will Always Love You.”
Lyrics
A Tribute to Dolly Parton — Blue Wave Revival Band
[ I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU]
[Spoken Intro — mature male voice, warm and sincere, very soft solo piano underneath]
Dolly...
There are singers we listen to...
and then there are voices that become part of our lives.
For generations, yours was one of those voices.
You made us laugh.
You made us cry.
You sang about working people, struggling families, love, heartbreak, and never forgetting where you came from.
We are the Blue Wave Revival Band.
Fifteen veterans who once carried rifles, wore uniforms, and raised our right hands to serve this country.
Today, we carry guitars and microphones.
And right now, we're simply fifteen musicians saying goodbye to another musician we admired.
Dolly...
America is going to miss you.
The music world is going to miss you.
And the Blue Wave Revival Band is going to miss you.
So we're not going to say goodbye with a long speech.
We're going to say it with your own beautiful words.
[Pause — piano holds]
Dolly Parton...
This one's for you.
[Instrumental Transition — solo piano, acoustic guitar slowly enters]
[Verse 1 — mature male lead, intimate, restrained, crystal-clear words]
If I should stay
I would only be in your way
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you every step of the way
[Chorus — warm male vocal, piano and acoustic guitar]
And I will always love you
I will always love you
You
My darling, you, mm-mm
[Instrumental Break — acoustic guitar and piano]
[Verse 2 — slightly more emotion]
Bittersweet memories
That is all I'm taking with me
So goodbye, please don't cry
We both know I'm not what you, you need
[Chorus — bass and restrained drums enter]
And I will always love you
I will always love you
[Instrumental Build — Hammond organ enters softly, gentle strings begin rising]
[Bridge — emotional male lead, still controlled]
I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of
And I wish you joy and happiness
But above all this, I wish you love
[INSTRUMENTAL PAUSE]
[Drums stop]
[Piano holds final chord]
[Strings slowly rise]
[Electric guitar swell]
[KEY CHANGE — UP ONE WHOLE STEP]
[Full band enters]
[FINAL CHORUS — powerful emotional male vocal]
[HIGH SUSTAINED NOTE]
Iiiiiiiiiiiii...
I will always love you
[Hold the opening “I” high, strong and clear with natural vibrato]
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
[Band continues building — drums, Hammond organ, strings and electric guitar]
I will always love you
[FINAL VOCAL PEAK — highest emotional point of song]
I, I will always love youuuuuuu
[Hold “you” 6–8 seconds — powerful sustained high note, controlled natural vibrato]
[Full band resolves]
[Sudden drop to solo piano and soft strings]
You
[Softly]
Darling, I love you
Ooh, I'll always...
I'll always love you
[Final sung note held gently]
[10-second instrumental transition — piano and strings]
[Spoken Outro — same mature male voice, quiet, emotional, natural pauses]
Dolly...
Those words were yours.
But today...
they belong to millions of us who have to say goodbye to you.
You came from humble beginnings and somehow became larger than life without ever forgetting where you came from.
And you left behind something that can't be measured in awards, record sales, or applause.
You left us your music.
Years from now...
someone will turn on a radio.
Someone will play an old record.
And a child who wasn't even alive when you were here will hear that voice for the very first time.
And Dolly Parton will be there again.
That's the beautiful thing about music.
The musician may leave us...
but the music doesn't.
[Pause]
From fifteen veterans...
fifteen musicians...
and every member of the Blue Wave Revival Band...
Thank you, Dolly.
Thank you for the songs.
Thank you for the laughter.
Thank you for the memories.
And thank you for showing generations of musicians what it means to tell a story from the heart.
We're going to miss you.
But as long as somebody, somewhere, is still playing one of your songs...
you'll never really be gone.
[Long pause]
Goodbye, Dolly Parton.
From all of us in the Blue Wave Revival Band...
We will always love you.
[Long Instrumental Outro — solo piano begins]
[Acoustic guitar slowly joins]
[Gentle strings rise]
[Emotional electric guitar plays a simple melodic farewell]
[Hammond organ quietly underneath]
[Gradually remove instruments until only solo piano remains]
[Final piano chord]
[Let chord ring naturally]
[Fade to silence]
[No additional vocals]