Dolly Parton Once Revealed The Surprising Real-Life Story Behind Her Iconic Hit “Jolene”
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Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” Becomes A Country Classic
Dolly Parton’s iconic hit “Jolene” tells the story of a woman desperately pleading with a beautiful red-haired woman not to steal her husband. But the inspiration behind the song came from two very real encounters in Dolly’s life.
The song was originally recorded in 1973 and later reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart the following February.
Over the years, “Jolene” has become one of the most celebrated songs in country music history, earning recognition decades after its original release. The classic track was also inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2014.
The hit has been resung by artists across many generations and genres, including Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Pentatonix, and Olivia Newton-John, to name a few.
What’s The Backstory Behind “Jolene”?
Dolly has said the name “Jolene” came from a young fan she met while signing autographs. She was immediately struck by the little girl’s beautiful name and told her she would someday write a song about it.
“One night, I was on stage, and there was this beautiful little girl—she was probably 8 years old at the time,” Dolly once explained. “And she had this beautiful red hair, this beautiful skin, these beautiful green eyes, and she was looking up at me, holding, you know, for an autograph. I said, ‘Well, you’re the prettiest little thing I ever saw. So what is your name?’ And she said, ‘Jolene.’ And I said, ‘Jolene. Jolene. Jolene. Jolene.’ I said, ‘That is pretty. That sounds like a song. I’m going to write a song about that.’”
The story itself, however, was inspired by a flirtatious bank teller who appeared to have a crush on Dolly’s husband, Carl Dean. Dolly later joked that the woman had everything she didn’t, including beautiful red hair and a figure that caught her husband’s attention.
Combining the name of one young fan with the experience involving the bank teller, Dolly created what would become one of the most recognizable songs of her legendary career. More than five decades later, “Jolene” remains a timeless country music classic and one of Dolly’s most beloved songs.
You can listen to Dolly Parton sing “Jolene” below.
