Robert Greenblatt has remembered his 23-year friendship with Dolly Parton following her death aged 80, describing her as an unusually generous, hard-working and widely loved artist. He recalled their partnership on the Broadway musical adaptation of *9 to 5*, as well as their memorable 2015 NBC upfront appearance, when he accompanied her on piano during “I Will Always Love You”.

Greenblatt said he first proposed adapting *9 to 5* in 2003 and, after an introduction by Melissa Etheridge, Parton quickly agreed to write the score. Working with writer Patricia Resnick and director Joe Mantello, Parton reportedly wrote around two dozen songs, often producing new material overnight; the show began its pre-Broadway run in Los Angeles in 2008, though its complex stage automation caused delays in rehearsal.