Dolly Parton Reacts to Beyoncé’s Jolene Cover, ‘Cowboy Carter’ Album
Dolly Parton is giving her take on Beyoncé’s cover of her hit song “Jolene” on Beyoncé’s country album Cowboy Carter.
In an interview with E! News, Parton said she was surprised when she learned Beyoncé did not cover the original “Jolene” song on her Cowboy Carter album but rather offers her own rendition of it.
“I think it was very bold of her,” Parton told E! News of Beyoncé’s take. “When they said she was gonna do ‘Jolene,’ I expected it to be my regular one, but it wasn’t. But I love what she did to it. And as a songwriter, you love the fact that people do your songs no matter how they do them.”
“She wasn’t gonna go beg some other woman like I did,” Parton quipped. “‘Don’t steal my man.’ Shit, get out here, bitch. You ain’t stealin’ mine.”
As for the Cowboy Carter album, Parton said she was “proud” of the overall body of work.
“I thought she did a great job in country music, and I thought it was great. And I was just happy she did ‘Jolene.’ I, of course, would have loved to have heard how she would have done it in its original way. But of course, you know, it’s Beyoncé. Yeah, her life is different than mine,” she said.
Beyoncé announced the release of Act II during the 2024 Super Bowl with the release of its lead singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” Following its success — the album broke Spotify’s record for most streams in a single day — Cowboy Carter is expected to be a Grammy contender. Should the album be nominated, Parton said it would “be wonderful” to sing with Beyoncé on the Grammys stage.
“Why of course I would—if I’m available, if I’m not caught up in something I cannot get out of, yeah, that’d be wonderful,” Parton said. “I mean, who wouldn’t wanna sing ‘Jolene’ with Beyoncé?”
For the album, Parton recorded an interlude “Dolly P” in which she tipped her hat at another well-known character: Becky with the good hair.
“Hey miss Honey B, it’s Dolly P,” Parton says in the interlude, “You know that hussy with the good hair you sing about? / Reminded me of someone I knew back when / Except she has flamin’ locks of auburn hair / Bless her heart / Just a hair of a different color but it hurts just the same.”
“We communicated when the album came out, when I was doing some of the little things to put on the album,” Parton added. “And we were sending each other flowers and little love notes and all that. So, yeah, it’s all good.”
Parton’s comments on are not the first time the country icon praised Beyoncé. When Beyoncé’s single “Texas Hold ‘Em” made history on the Billboard Hot Country chart, Parton shared a statement on social media at the time, supporting the achievement. She wrote at the time, “I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album. So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single. Can’t wait to hear the full album!”
