<P> `` Old Flames Ca n't Hold a Candle to You '' is a country song written by singer - songwriter Pebe Sebert and Hugh Moffatt . It was a number 14 U.S. country hit for Joe Sun in 1978 , and a number 86 hit for Brian Collins the same year . It was later covered by Dolly Parton , who took it to the top of the U.S. country singles charts in August 1980. . Parton included her version on her 1980 Dolly , Dolly , Dolly album , and it was released as the album 's second single after the success of `` Starting Over Again '' . In 2013 , Sebert 's daughter , Kesha , released an acoustic cover of the song as part of her extended play Deconstructed . A new version featuring Parton is on a track of Kesha 's 2017 album Rainbow . </P>
who wrote old flames cant hold a candle to you
Pebe Sebert and Hugh Moffatt