Dolly Parton Reveals Her Thoughts on Beyoncé's Fiery Cover of 'Jolene''

Published: June 1, 2025

Dolly Parton has finally shared her thoughts on Beyoncé's bold reinterpretation of her 1973 hit song "Jolene" on the "Cowboy Carter" album. The country music legend praised Beyoncé's unique take on the song, saying it's "completely different" from her original version.

Parton called the "Cowboy Carter" a "really, really good album," which features two cameos from the Country Music Hall of Famer. She appears as a fictional radio DJ on the track "Dolly P" and makes a cameo at the start of the song "Tyrant."

The 10th track on the album is Beyoncé's fiery rendition of "Jolene," which Parton loved. "I was just honored that she, of course, did a completely different take on 'Jolene' than than my version of it," Parton tells PEOPLE. "Hers was more like, 'Well, you're not getting him, you're not taking him, you're going to go through me to get him.' Mine was more like, 'Please don't take him!' So I loved her interpretation."

Parton continued, "As a writer, you like to hear how different people interpret your songs, and how they put their own spin and do their own take on it. But I was very proud of it, and I hope her tour does great, and I'm sure it will. People seem to be loving it."

Beyoncé is currently on the road for the Cowboy Carter Tour, which is set to conclude on July 26.

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