Listen To Dolly Parton’s Very Last Song, “Son Of Jolene,” With Country Singer Belles
on • Updated
Dolly Parton Records With Belles For Her Last Song
Earlier this year, rising country artist Kelli Belles, known professionally as Belles, put a fresh spin on one of Dolly Parton’s most beloved songs. After hearing the reimagined rendition, Dolly was so moved that she decided to join Belles on the track herself.
“Son of Jolene,” a sequel to Dolly’s 1973 iconic hit “Jolene,” arrived more than 50 years after the original. At the time, neither artist could have known the song would ultimately become a powerful passing of the torch from one generation of country music to the next.
Belles is a rising country singer-songwriter from Omaha, Nebraska, who is now based in Nashville. She is known for blending traditional country storytelling with a modern sound.
Since Dolly’s passing, Belles has continued sharing heartfelt clips and memories from that incredibly special day they spent together. Belles says that the experience of recording the song was (understandably) the “honor” of her life.
The country singer explained that once Dolly heard the track, she encouraged Belles to get it on the radio as quickly as she could.
The new release deliberately builds on the story behind Dolly’s Grammy-nominated “Jolene,” which was inspired by a real-life encounter involving a bank teller who flirted with Dolly’s late husband, Carl Dean.
By staying true to the original storyline, “Son of Jolene” feels less like a cover and more like a genuine continuation of Dolly’s classic. And the song was actually inspired by Belles meeting touring musician Trevor Martin, whose mother is named Jolene.
While touring with Trevor Martin in 2024, Belles discovered that Martin’s mother was named Jolene. In a remarkable coincidence, she realized she was literally on the road with the “son of Jolene.” The idea sparked Belles’ imagination, eventually inspiring her to write the track.
She later completed “Son of Jolene” with Dan Harrison and Tyler Bank after first getting Trevor’s permission to tell his family’s story.
Of course, Belles hoped to secure Dolly’s blessing for the song, but she ended up receiving something far more meaningful: she wanted to record it with her.
“When I wrote this song, I would’ve never in a million years thought that it would’ve gone all the way to Dolly, and now I’m here, but I really couldn’t be more grateful,” Belles once told PEOPLE.
You can listen to Belles and Dolly sing “Son of Jolene” together below.
