27/08/2026
DOLLY PARTON TOOK HER GUITAR TO COURT — AND 35 MINUTES LATER, THE JURY CLEARED HER 🎸⚖️
In 1985, Dolly Parton found herself defending something deeply personal: her reputation as a songwriter.
Los Angeles songwriters Neil and Jan Goldberg accused Dolly of copying their song “Money World” when she wrote her smash hit “9 to 5.” The couple sought $1 million plus additional damages, arguing that their music had been sent to Jane Fonda before the movie was made and that Dolly somehow gained access to it. Dolly firmly denied ever hearing their song before the dispute. (Los Angeles Times)
Then came a courtroom moment that sounded like something straight out of a movie.
Dolly took the witness stand — with her guitar. At points during her testimony, she sang and played for the jury while explaining her music and defending how she created “9 to 5.” She insisted the song was entirely her own and said she had written it herself with a guitar after getting a feel for the lives of working women. (UPI)
The case wasn’t decided on Dolly’s performance alone. Music experts testified about whether the compositions were substantially similar, with a defense musicologist arguing that they were not. Jane Fonda also testified that she had not passed the Goldbergs’ music to Dolly. (UPI)
After a two-week trial, the six-member jury began deliberating.
Just 35 minutes later, they had a verdict.
Dolly had won.
One juror later explained that the panel largely agreed there simply wasn’t enough similarity between the songs. Dolly, who wasn’t present when the verdict was announced because she was undergoing routine medical tests, said afterward that she was relieved and felt her reputation had been vindicated. (Los Angeles Times)
The Goldbergs later sought another trial, but their effort was rejected. (Los Angeles Times)
It remains one of the more unforgettable chapters in Dolly’s career: accused of copying a song, she walked into federal court, picked up her guitar and defended the songwriting legacy she had spent years building.
CREDIT: Chinenye Omanukwue
