After much speculation, Beyoncé confirms that she will cover the classic country song "Jolene" on her upcoming album Cowboy Carter. The singer released a track list, which included the song.
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As country fans know, "Jolene" is one of Dolly Parton's crowning gems and became a bit of an unofficial anthem for the legend. Beyoncé obviously wants to make a big splash by making the song her own. She's also teasing that she may be collaborating with Parton on the project. Willie Nelson also appears on the listing as well.
Previously, Parton hyped fans up by revealing that Beyoncé may be covering the song. She didn't go into more details about the song, but Parton confirmed that she thought Beyoncé recorded it.
"Well, I think she has! 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 Knox News. "I love her! She's a beautiful girl and a great singer."
According to Parton, she and Beyoncé have communicated through the years. Beyoncé was a big fan of the singer and her music. "We've kind of sent messages back and forth through the years," she said. "And she and her mother were like fans, and I was always touched that they were fans, and I always thought she was great."
Dolly Parton Supports Beyoncé
That goes both ways. Parton has supported Beyoncé as she makes the leap into country music. She celebrated Beyoncé becoming the first Black woman to top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for "Texas Hold 'Em." "I'm a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she's done a country album," she wrote. "So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single. Can't wait to hear the full album!"
Likewise, she spoke on why it made perfect sense for Beyoncé to release a country album. "A lot of people don't realize Beyonce is a country girl. She's from Texas," she said. "I think we belong wherever we can do good, and her song is number one across every chart in the whole world, I think. So, I mean, who can argue with that?"
Not everyone has had the same opinion. For instance, Hardy called out the singer recently. In her announcement, the singer opened up about not filling welcomed in the industry.
She said, "This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed...and it was very clear that I wasn't. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history."
