Natalie Grant on how she got Dolly to sing Whitney: “She was such an ultimate professional”

Natalie Grant‘s latest album Seasons features duets from the likes of gospel artists CeCe Winans and Mary Mary, plus Cory Astbury, her partner on their hit cover of the Dear Evan Hansen song “You Will Be Found.” Her latest single from the project is a version of Whitney Houston‘s “Step by Step,” sung with none other than Dolly Parton.

While Whitney famously covered Dolly’s song “I Will Always Love You,” this duet marked the first time that Dolly had ever sang a Whitney song. And as Natalie tells ABC Audio, Dolly almost wasn’t on the song at all.

“My manager came to me and said, ‘Well, Dolly passed on the song.’ I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ I didn’t even know they had asked her!” Natalie explains. “And then like three weeks later, I literally get a letter on Dolly letterhead, [with a] hot pink ‘Dolly’ at the top.”

“And she’s like, ‘I cannot get this song out of my head. It just keeps ringing and calling me back … is it too late for me? Have you already found someone? If you haven’t, I would be so honored to sing on this song.'”

After she freaked out over Dolly saying yes, Natalie says she was further amazed by how much care and attention the legendary star gave to the duet, right down to arranging the background vocals.

“I mean, she poured her heart and soul into that vocal. She was such an ultimate professional,” Natalie recalls. “And I’m like, ‘That’s why you’re Dolly Parton. That’s why you’ve been doing this. That’s why you’re still here. You have such an integrity as a person’ —  and also an integrity in her artistry.”

“And we were blown away by that.”