Dolly Parton is heartbroken after a tragic loss and says in her touching tribute that she is “eternally grateful.”
The “9 To 5” singer offered Cynthia Weil some lovely comments.
Legendary composer Cynthia Weil passed away on June 1 at the age of 82. She is renowned for her contributions to several well-known songs, including “We Gotta Get out of This Place,” “On Broadway,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” and many others.
One such song was Dolly Parton’s 1977 country-pop classic “Here You Come Again,” which served as her first significant crossover hit and helped her achieve significant mainstream appeal.
After learning of Cynthia’s passing, the singer paid tribute to her on social media on Saturday. She praised her lifetime of work and expressed her gratitude.
“I was heartbroken to hear that Cynthia Weil had passed away,” she stated. She was one of history’s greatest writers, and Barry Mann and I worked together to write my first song to sell a million copies, “Here You Come Again,” for which I will always be thankful.
The song was created in 1975 by Cynthia and her husband and frequent songwriting partner Barry Mann with the goal of Brenda Lee’s comeback. Brenda Lee intended to give Dolly the song, but she died.
The singer, now 77, was already well-known in the country music scene at the time thanks to hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” but she hadn’t yet significantly influenced the general public market.
After she and her producers worked to make it less pop-oriented and more of a genre fusion, the song, which was at the time her biggest hit, lasted more than a month at the top of the American country charts and made it to the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.
The album’s predecessor, with the same name, was a triumph. It earned Dolly her first-ever Grammy Award in 1978 for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.
“So, I have always been grateful and will always be grateful to her,” she concluded in her eulogy. She will undoubtedly be missed by everyone she loves, and her incredible musical legacy will never be forgotten.”
“Here You Come Again” is still one of Dolly’s three and only top ten hits on the mainstream American music charts, along with the number-one singles “9 To 5” and the Kenny Rogers-featuring “Islands in the Stream.”
According to her daughter Jenn Mann, Cynthia Weil was the best mother, grandmother, and wife her family could have ever asked for, she told TMZ on Friday. She pioneered women in music, my closest confidante, and my partner in battling crime.
On her social media pages, Cynthia Weil writes: “Cynthia Weil is one of the most iconic songwriters of the 20th century. Her Grammy Award-winning lyrics touched the hearts and souls of hundreds of millions worldwide.”
Cynthia is survived by her devoted daughter Dr. Jenn Mann and her fiancé Eric Schiffer; granddaughters Quin and Mendez; and the love of her life Barry Mann, her husband, soulmate, and co-writer.
