‘Islands in the Stream’: Dolly Parton Reflects on Kenny Rogers Duet 40 Years Later

One of Dolly Parton’s biggest hits is “Islands in the Stream”. The Bee Gees wrote the track, which later became a duet between Parton and Kenny Rogers. The song is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023, and Parton recently reflected on her experience recording it and what it means to her today. 

Dolly Parton recorded ‘Islands in the Stream’ in ‘two or three hours’

“Islands in the Stream” was released in 1983. The track was written by the Bee Gees, who initially imagined it as a solo record for Diana Ross. After reworking it, they got Kenny Rogers onboard and asked if he could get Parton. In an interview with Smooth Radio, Parton said she lived near Rogers, so it was very easy for her to get to the studio to record it. 

“I’m always honored when great artists like Barry, who produced the record and he and his brothers wrote it, ‘Islands in the Stream’, for instance, and then Kenny,” Parton explained. “Just for them to even think of me. It’s like Barry said, they said they tried to find the right people, they didn’t know what they were going to do with the song, almost dumped it. And then Barry asked Kenny if he knew a girl named Dolly Parton, and Kenny said, ‘Yeah, I think I do, I think I could reach her.’”

“And I happened to be right up the street so that was just meant to be,” she continued. “And so I went down, and within two or three hours, we had that whole record done. And so it’s always great. I’m not intimidated, I just want to do good. I get a little bit nervous, I guess, or get butterflies. You want to do well and keeping up with the likes of Barry and Kenny, but I just figure I’ll just always be me and do me and that seems to work.”

Parton and Rogers built an enduring friendship thanks to this song

“Islands in the Stream” was a massive hit for Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. It reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, giving each of them their second No. 1 pop hit. The pair were already friends, but this cemented their bond as they performed it together often. 

In the Smooth Radio interview, Eamonn Kelly said he once interviewed Rogers, who died in 2020. When Kelly mentioned Parton, Rogers’ eyes “lit up.” The “9 to 5” singer said she feels the same way about him and misses him every day. 

“Well, I feel the same way about Kenny, and I’m so proud of ‘Islands in the Stream’,” she said. “That’s another thing I’m as proud of as anything I ever did in my musical career to make the choice to do that. And Barry Gibb, of course. There’s people on this end of the world contributing to the music like they do. But I was happy to be part of that. I can’t believe it’s been 40 years, and I miss Kenny every day because we had a great, great relationship.”