3 Country Stars Who Wrote Hits for Themselves and Other Artists

Some people are so talented that their cups truly run over. Some songwriters, for example, can write songs that become hits for themselves and also become memorable, even star-making songs for others. It’s not enough that a song they write becomes a signature of the one who pens it, personally. But it also has so much magic that it buoys others and their careers, too.

Case in point: these three country artists. Here below, we wanted to explore the careers of three songwriters who not only wrote hit songs for themselves but were able to compose tracks that helped to make the careers of others along the way. Indeed, these are three country stars who wrote hits for themselves and other artists, too.

[RELATED: American Songwriter November Cover Story: Dolly Parton—The Eternal Artist]

Dolly Parton

When a young Dolly Parton knew she had to go out into the world as a solo artist, she wrote her then-showbiz partner Porter Wagoner a song. That tune? “I Will Always Love You.” Today, the track is one of Parton’s most famous, along with “Jolene” and “Coat of Many Colors.” But as many music fans know, the song also became one of the biggest in the history of popular music when Whitney Houston got ahold of it for the soundtrack for the movie The Bodyguard. With her giant voice, the song became etched in history and it just shows the power of Parton’s simple, loving lyrics.

Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kirstofferson is one of the greatest country music songwriters of all time. But because he’s so good, he is also one of the greatest rock songwriters of all time merely for his contribution to the career of one Janis Joplin. Using her incredible gravelly voice, Joplin took on Kristofferson’s timeless track “Me and Bobby McGee” and created a new rendition of the tune that will be heard forever. Of course, Kristofferson has written countless songs for other artists, from Johnny Cash to Jerry Lee Lewis, and each is sweet, rugged, and classic in their own way.

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is everyone’s favorite country music uncle. And while he’s written classic country songs for himself, including “On the Road Again,” some of his tunes have been made famous by other artists, too. Take for example “Crazy,” which was first made a hit by Patsy Cline in 1961. She was a great country star in her own right, but her career was helped that much more by singing Nelson’s catchy, heartfelt lyrics.

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