At Last
As Wagoner had a significant financial stake in Parton’s future (as of 1969, he was her co-producer and owned nearly half of Owe-Par, the publishing company Parton had founded with Bill Owens), he and Parton grew frustrated with her lack of solo success.
Wagoner convinced Parton to record a cover of Jimmie Rodgers’s “Mule Skinner Blues”. The record reached number three.
It was soon followed by “Joshua” which reached number one in February 1971, Parton’s first-ever number one single. For the next couple of years, Parton achieved numerous solo hits.