North Carolina-based folk duo Violet Bell (Omar Ruiz-Lopez and Lizzy Ross) draw on their own distinctive backgrounds as well as centuries old Appalachian storytelling traditions to create their own unique take on roots music.
Though the duo grew up nearly an ocean apart — Ruiz-Lopez in Puerto Rico and Ross in Chesapeake Bay and New York City — they each point to a timeless song penned by an artist who drew on her Appalachian roots to become one of the greatest storytellers of all time: Dolly Parton.
Ruiz-Lopez can still clearly remember the first time he heard "I Will Always Love You," which Parton wrote about not a romantic relationship but a beautiful — and complicated — friendship. He says that his first introduction to the song was through another music legend who would go on to make the song her own: Whitney Houston.
"'I Will Always Love You'" by the genius songwriter Dolly Parton — she wrote it as a kind of farewell to Porter Wagoner," Ruiz-Lopez tells Wide Open Country. "I remember being a child when I first heard it in Puerto Rico, where I grew up, and seeing Whitney [Houston] wail this...I love that it's like this cross-cultural collaboration between a white artist and a Black artist."
Ross reflected on the equally impactful recordings, from Parton's aching, tender goodbye to Houston's chill-inducing, powerhouse send-off to a romance.
"This felt like one of those songs you could try to sing to test yourself," Ross says. "It still feels that way. It's always a little intimidating. The way that Whitney sings it — she's just so incredible. And the way that Dolly sings it is so incredible...I love that Dolly speaks the second verse in her version."
Violet Bell recently released their latest album Shapeshifter. The album is available for purchase here.
