If you’re a Dolly Parton fan, you know “Jolene” isn’t just a song — it’s part of country music history.
The country icon’s 1973 breakthrough hit was inspired by a real-life bank teller who paid a little too much attention to her husband, Carl Dean.
“And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention,” Parton once shared, explaining that what sounded dramatic was actually rooted in an inside joke.
Years later, she added, “Had it not been for that woman, I would never have written ‘Jolene,’ and I wouldn’t have made all that money, so thank you, Jolene.”
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More than 50 years later, a new generation is continuing the story — and Parton herself is on board.
Belles Brings ‘Jolene’ to Life… With a Twist
Country singer Belles has written what she calls a sequel of sorts to “Jolene,” titling her new single “Son of Jolene.”
The 26-year-old imagines what might have happened years after Parton’s desperate plea. In Belles’ version, Jolene’s son inherits his mother’s striking looks — but not much of her respect for boundaries.
“He’s just like his mother / Is it any wonder? / That I caught him in the dead of night with lipstick on his suit and tie,” she sings, suggesting the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
The concept is clever — and apparently, Parton thought so, too.
Dolly Parton Has Thoughts — and Joins In
“Son of Jolene” eventually made its way to one of Parton’s producers, who shared it with the country legend. Not only did she approve — she decided to join the track.
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“When I heard ‘Son of Jolene,’ I thought it was very clever,” Parton told People. “No one had ever thought of it that way.”
Parton even lends her voice to the song, giving the sequel a stamp of approval that few reinterpretations of “Jolene” could ever claim.
Belles has leaned into the connection in other ways, too, recently posting a clip of herself using the same stripped-down recording setup Parton used when she first cut “Jolene” in 1973.
“Son of Jolene” is set for release on April 17, 2026.
More than five decades after Jolene first walked into that bank, it seems her story isn’t over — it may have just gone digital.
Dolly Parton: 80 Years and 80 Unforgettable Moments
The country queen turned 80 years old on Jan. 19, 2026. Consider this our birthday card, or a long letter that states all the ways she’s appreciated.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes