A-list country star reveals she unintentionally plagiarized Dolly Parton’s biggest hit

Maren Morris admits she accidentally lifted multiple elements from Dolly Parton’s 1980 classic 9 to 5 for her own track.

The Arlington, Texas native, 35, explained what had happened – and how Parton, again reaffirmed why she’s one of the most beloved figures in show business – while appearing on the Zach Sang Show.

‘I think that’s, like, any songwriter’s worst fear is unintentionally being on top of a melody that already exists and, you know, it happens more than you think,’ the Grammy-winning artist said. 

She added: ‘I think when I write with so many different people – and play the song so many times for loved ones before it ever gets into the public – There’s always, like, checks and balances.’

The country music artist said that extended collaborations produce ‘checks and balances’ and the extra experts in the room can help determine when a melody ‘is a little bit too close to [another] song.

Morris explained the situation that stemmed from the 2019 release of her track All My Favorite People, which also featured Brothers Osborne, as she ultimately felt it sounded too much like Dolly Parton’s 1980 hit 9 to 5.

Maren Morris, 35, admits she accidentally lifted multiple elements from Dolly Parton ‘s 1980 classic 9 to 5 for her own track 

‘There’s a song on my second record called All My Favorite People – and I remember it was like two weeks till the record was out – and my mom was actually the one that was like, “I kind of noticed the verse/melody, sounds a little bit like 9 to 5,”‘ Morris said. 

All My Favorite People was co-written by Morris’s ex-husband Ryan Hurd, who she parted ways with last year; and Grammy-nominated songwriter Mikey Reaves.

The track was produced by Morris and the late music producer busbee (whose full name was Michael James Ryan) who died in September of 2019 at the age of 43.

The Middle singer said her ‘stomach dropped’ when her mother told her she felt that there were noticeable similarities between her track and the Parton staple.

‘She was genuinely trying to give me a heads up,’ Morris said, ‘and I listened to it immediately.’

The Bones singer said that at that point she compared the songs and realized they sounded alike. 

Morris said she told Parton about her concern about the similarities, but the Jolene artist couldn’t have been sweeter.

Morris said that ‘it was close enough’ that she felt awful about what had happened – and was looking for a way to reach out to Parton’s camp and offer her a songwriting credit on the track (which was not released as a single).

Morris said she told Parton about her concern about the similarities, but the Jolene artist couldn’t have been sweeter 

Morris said the situation that stemmed from the release of her track All My Favorite People as she ultimately felt it sounded too much like Dolly Parton’s 1980 hit 9 to 5. The song was the lead single from the film of the same name, which starred Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin

Morris said that ‘it was close enough’ that she felt awful about what had happened – and was looking for a way to reach out to Parton’s camp and offer her a songwriting credit on the track (which was not released as a single)

‘I remember, like, writing something to her,’ Morris said of Parton. 

Morris said Parton told her, ‘Oh, my gosh, honey, you’re all good,’ adding that she didn’t take any money but ‘would have made something’ had she pursued a legal settlement.

The My Church artist added that Parton extended a courtesy to her that many of their peers would not have, as ‘a lot of other artists are litigious’ and would wait for the song to make as much money as possible before pursuing litigation.

‘It’s just it’s such a nightmare for songwriters, who are already like, also so underpaid,’ the Circles Around This Town singer added.

Morris said she and Parton have since worked together.