Country legend Dolly Parton hinted that one of her classic hits might appear on Beyoncé’s new album, which is set to be released on March 29.
Parton told the Knoxville News Sentinel that Beyoncé might have covered her 1973 song “Jolene” as part of an album that has been described as “act ii” of the three-act project that began with Beyoncé’s 2022 “Renaissance” album.
“I think she’s recorded “Jolene” and I think it’s probably gonna be on her country album, which I’m very excited about that,” Parton told the Tennessee-based newspaper in an interview published on Monday, adding that she finds Beyoncé to be a “great singer” and “beautiful.”
“We’ve kind of sent messages back and forth through the years,” Parton said. “And she and her mother were like fans, and I was always touched that they were fans.”
Parton told NPR in 2008 that “Jolene” is her most covered song.
Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood (left)| Theo Wargo/Getty Images (right)
It’s not the first time the country icon has praised Queen Bey over her foray into the genre. When Beyoncé’s song “Texas Hold ‘Em” reached the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs last month, Parton congratulated her in a social media post and wrote that she’s a “big fan” of the superstar.
Beyoncé became the first Black woman to score a No. 1 hit in the history of Billboard’s country chart after “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at the top spot. The milestone marked a cultural shift for country music, a genre often seen as exclusive and that for decades has had a fraught relationship with artists of color.
As part of her “Renaissance” album, Beyoncé covered Donna Summer’s famously innovative 1977 hit “I Feel Love,” honoring Summer’s pioneering influence in the dance and electronic genres. If she covers Parton’s “Jolene” for her country album, Beyoncé will similarly be paying tribute to another legendary female artist in a different genre.
—S. Dev contributed reporting.
