Dolly Parton, the revered country music icon, has given her enthusiastic approval to Beyoncé’s rendition of her classic hit “Jolene.”
In a recent unveiling, Beyoncé, known as Queen Bey at 42, shared a poster-style list of tracks for her upcoming album, “Cowboy Carter,” revealing a probable cover of Dolly Parton’s iconic 1973 single.
Responding to this, the 78-year-old “My Tennessee Mountain Home” songstress urged her fans to give it a listen, suggesting they enjoy the original rendition before diving into Beyoncé’s version.
Taking to Twitter, Dolly Parton posted, “Listen to my original ‘Jolene’ while you wait for @Beyonce’s COWBOY CARTER – Dolly P,” along with a snapshot juxtaposing Beyoncé’s new tracklist poster with her own artwork for the original release of “Jolene.”
On Instagram, the “I Will Always Love You” singer utilized her Instagram Story to showcase Beyoncé’s album announcement, pairing it with her rendition of the song that has garnered over 600 million streams on Spotify.
Parton further bolstered Beyoncé’s forthcoming album in an Instagram Story promoting “Jolene” alongside the announcement.
Fans flooded Beyoncé’s post with over a million likes, expressing their anticipation for the nearly 30 tracks set to drop on Friday, with many particularly thrilled about the homage to one of Parton’s signature tunes.
Excitedly, a fan commented, “Joleneeeeeeee I’m gonna cry!”
Another fan chimed in, “The legends 🫢 Dolly P and Bey🥹 laaawwwwddddd.”
A third fan speculated, “This album is about to …baby she’s bout to cut Jolene UP😮💨😮💨😮💨.”
The official tracklist reveals a diverse array of titles including “American Requiem,” “Blackbird,” “16 Carriages,” “Protector,” “My Rose,” “Smoke Hour,” “Texas Hold ‘Em,” “Bodyguard,” “Jolene,” “Daughter,” “Spaghetti,” “Alligator Tears,” “Smoke Hour II,” “Just for Fun,” “II Most Wanted,” “Levii’s Jeans,” “Flamenco,” “The Linda Martell Show,” “YaYa,” “Oh Louisiana,” “Desert Eagle,” “Riverdance,” “II Hands II Heaven,” “Tyrant,” “Sweet Honey Buckin’,” and “Amen.”
Notably, the poster mentions Parton, alongside country music icons Willie Nelson and Linda Martell, though it remains uncertain if they will be featured or sampled on the songs in collaboration with Beyoncé.
Earlier in March, Parton hinted at a possible cover of “Jolene” during an interview with Knox News, expressing her excitement about Beyoncé recording the track for her country album.
Expressing admiration for Beyoncé, Parton acknowledged their mutual respect over the years, noting Beyoncé and her mother’s fandom.
Parton praised Beyoncé as a talented artist, fondly recalling their exchanges and interactions throughout their careers.
The highly-anticipated “Cowboy Carter” album is scheduled for release on March 29.
