Sometimes a song just feels like it was meant to be. That's the vibe you get when you hear Zach Williams and Dolly Parton trading lines on "There Was Jesus." It wasn't just a marketing ploy or a label-forced collaboration. Honestly, it was a moment where two very different worlds—modern Christian rock and classic country royalty—crashed into each other in the best way possible.
Williams didn't exactly have a "direct line" to the Smoky Mountain Queen. When he co-wrote the track with Jonathan Smith and Casey Beathard, he was just trying to process his own messy past. He was looking back at 20 years of mistakes, addiction, and rock-and-roll living, realizing he hadn't been as alone as he thought.
The Pitch That Actually Worked
Basically, once the demo was finished, Williams couldn't shake the idea of a female harmony. He told his producer it needed to sound "kind of like Dolly Parton." Most people would have laughed that off. I mean, it's Dolly. She's busy running Dollywood, filming movies, and being a literal icon. But Williams' team sent the song to her manager anyway.
To everyone's shock, she didn't just say yes—she loved it. Parton later mentioned she thought it was one of the "best songs" she’d ever heard. She was looking for something "uplifting" at the time. She called it a Godsend.
Studio Vibes and Matching Leather
When they finally got into the Nashville studio in 2019, Williams was understandably terrified. You've got this guy who used to front a Southern rock band, now standing across from a woman who has more hits than most people have pairs of socks.
But Dolly did what Dolly does.
She spent four hours in that studio. She didn't just phone it in; she asked for direction. She wanted to make sure her vocals matched the grit in Zach’s voice. Williams has often said she has this way of making you feel like the only person in the room. No ego. Just work.
They even ended up shooting a music video where it started snowing in the middle of May. They stood out there in matching leather jackets, shivering but getting the shot. That's the kind of commitment that turned "There Was Jesus" into a massive hit.
Why "There Was Jesus" Still Matters in 2026
The song didn't just sit on the Christian charts. It exploded.
- Grammy Win: They took home the trophy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song in 2021.
- Historical Milestone: This was Dolly’s 11th Grammy win. More importantly, it made her the first artist to ever top five different Billboard radio charts: Adult Contemporary, Christian AC, Christian Airplay, Country Airplay, and Dance/Mix Show Airplay.
- Crossover Appeal: It brought country fans over to Christian radio and vice versa.
It’s rare to see a song have that kind of "legs." Even years later, people are still discovering it. Remember that American Idol audition with McKenna Breinholt? She sang this song while meeting her birth family for the first time, and the clip went viral. Zach and Dolly even sat down together to record a reaction video, clearly moved that their work was still hitting people that hard.
Their Second Act: "Lookin' For You"
A lot of people think they only did the one song, but that’s not the case. While they were filming Dolly’s 2022 Christmas special, Mountain Magic Christmas, Zach played her a new track he’d been working on called "Lookin' For You."
Dolly, being Dolly, joked, "Did you forget to ask ME to sing on it with you?"
That wasn't just a joke for long. They officially released the duet version of "Lookin' For You" in 2024 as part of the extended edition of Williams' album A Hundred Highways. It’s got that same soul, that same blend of Nashville twang and Sunday morning conviction.
How to Find the Best Versions
If you're looking to really dive into the Zach Williams and Dolly Parton collaboration, don't just stick to the radio edits.
- The 53rd Annual CMA Awards Performance: This was their live debut. It was a medley where Dolly performed with For King & Country before Zach joined her. It's raw and powerful.
- The Official Music Video: Watch for the chemistry. You can tell they actually like each other.
- The "Pop-Up" Video: Zach released a version with "fun facts" and lyrics that gives a lot of behind-the-scenes context about the writing process.
The real takeaway from this partnership is how much Dolly cares about the "underdog." Williams has often noted that despite her fame, she’s never forgotten where she came from. She championed him when he was still relatively new to the scene, and that’s a big reason why he’s a household name in the genre today.
Practical Next Steps If you want to hear the evolution of their sound, start by listening to "There Was Jesus" to get the foundation. Then, immediately jump to "Lookin' For You" to hear how their vocal blend has matured. For musicians, it's worth studying the song’s structure—it’s a masterclass in how to build a duet without the voices competing for space. Check out Zach Williams' Rescue Story album for the full context of where he was mentally when he wrote these hits.
