Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” was originally released in 1973. Three years later, Olivia Newton-John recorded a cover for her 1976 album Come On Over. This cover sparked a longtime reverence for “Jolene”, later culminating in a duet with Parton. It would become Newton-John’s final recording before her death.
In August 2026, Dolly Parton passed away at age 80, four years after Olivia Newton-John’s death in August 2022 at age 73. Revisiting their duet, released ahead of Newton-John’s posthumous final album in 2023, can serve as a memorial for these incredible icons.
By 2022, Newton-John was no stranger to “Jolene”. After her initial 1976 cover, she included it in the setlist for her 1982 Physical Tour. It then stayed in heavy rotation for subsequent performances. Additionally, Newton-John later admitted that she’d always wanted to record a song with Dolly Parton. Although they were friends for a long time, their moment didn’t come until just before Newton-John’s death.
Olivia Newton-John and Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ Duet Serves as Beautiful Remembrance of Two Musical Icons
Olivia Newton-John’s music career saw her break into the country scene, becoming the first non-American artist to win the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year award. Winning the award in 1974 sparked a friendship with Dolly Parton that lasted decades.
“Jolene”, meanwhile, is one of the most enduring country hits. It’s also one of the most frequently covered songs across all genres. The song stayed with Newton-John as a touchstone as she moved through several career phases. So it’s fitting that she returned to “Jolene”, this time with its creator, for her final recording.
Newton-John was working on her duets album, Just The Two Of Us: The Duets Collection (Vol. 1), before her death in 2022. “Jolene” was the first look at the completed album. Unfortunately for fans, Newton-John had already passed by the time the album was released. Still, video footage of the process, specifically the duet with Parton, created a lasting record of Newton-John’s final works.
In the video, Dolly Parton and Olivia Newton-John are seen in the recording booth, where Parton expressed her excitement to be working together. She called Newton-John “one of my favorites of all time”, saying they’d “always stayed close through the years”.
Parton added, “I am just so proud to be part of this duet project that she’s doing.” She then gave a bit of an intro to “Jolene”, saying, “We’re singing one of my all-time favorites that I picked, called ‘Jolene,’ and she said it’s one of her favorites.” Parton concluded with a smile, “So, why not just do a duet of one of our favorites?”
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The post Dolly Parton Revisited an Old Hit for This 1980s Icon’s Posthumous Release, and Now It’s a Memorial to Them Both appeared first on VICE.
