Maren Morris Admits Unintentional Copying of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5

Maren Morris revealed during an appearance on the Zach Sang Show that her song "All My Favorite People" from her 2019 album "Girl" unintentionally resembled Dolly Parton's iconic 1980 hit "9 to 5." The similarity was first noticed by Morris's mother shortly before the album's release, prompting Morris to reach out to Parton's team and offer songwriting credit as a gesture of good faith. Dolly Parton graciously declined any financial compensation, exemplifying her reputation for kindness and professionalism. Morris reflected on the common challenges songwriters face in creating original music amid the vast landscape of existing melodies, emphasizing the importance of collaborative "checks and balances" during the writing process. The incident did not harm the relationship between the two artists; they have since shared the stage, including at a 2019 Grammy tribute, demonstrating mutual respect and camaraderie within the country music community. This episode highlights both the difficulties of songwriting originality and Dolly Parton's enduring generosity and status as a trailblazer in country music.