On this day (October 15) in 1973, Dolly Parton released “Jolene” as the lead single from her album of the same name. It topped the country chart for a week in early 1974 and quickly became one of Parton’s signature songs. In the five decades since its release, it has inspired hundreds of covers. Artists around the world, from a wide range of genres, have put their spin on this country classic.

Parton famously used two very different sources of inspiration when writing “Jolene.” She based the character of her husband’s potential mistress on a teller at the bank she and her husband used at the time. She was young, attractive, and according to legend, flirted with Carl Dean. At the same time, Parton found that her husband was spending a suspicious amount of time at the bank.

The other half of the inspiration for “Jolene” is much more wholesome. One night after a show, Parton met a very young fan with fair skin and auburn hair whose name was Jolene. She heard the little girl’s name and a light went off in her head. She knew, right then, that she would write a song using that name.

“Jolene” topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated February 2, 1974. It surprisingly only retained the top spot for a single week. Fortunately, the song’s chart success did not mirror is staying power.

Dolly Parton Inspired Hundreds of Covers with “Jolene”

Dolly Parton released “Jolene” as a single on October 14, 1973. A year later, soul singer Gloria Ann Taylor released the first of many covers of the song. According to Secondhand Songs, nearly 300 artists have put their spin on the song.

Several notable names appear on the long list of those who have covered “Jolene.” Olivia Newton-John released her version in 1975. Reba McEntire released hers in 1989. In 1996, Iranian singer Leila Forouhar recorded a version of the country classic.

“Jolene” crossed genre boundaries several times over the years. Notably, The White Stripes covered the song in 2000. Rapper Lil Nas X also had a popular version of the song in 2021.