Dolly Parton Once Found a Baby Named Jolene in Her Driveway

When you're as famous and beloved as Dolly Parton, you're bound to have your fair share of peculiar fan encounters. But the country superstar says there's one moment that stands out as her "most unusual" fan experience and it occurred at her Nashville home.

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"Year ago, when my song 'Jolene' came out, I came home one day from work. We had our new home in Brentwood and there was a basket at the gate. And I thought 'ooh somebody left us some food or something.' I looked in it and there was a baby in it," Parton told Larry King in 2016. "There was a note that said 'My name is Jolene and I want you to have me for keeps' or something to that effect."

Understandably, the "Coat of Many Colors" and "I Will Always Love You" singer was shocked, but she handled the situation with grace.

"I went straight on up to the house...The lady at the house said 'call child services,'" Parton said. "They came and I never knew what happened. But that was the creepiest, weirdest thing in the world."

While Parton never found out what became of baby Jolene, she told The Windy City Times that she often wondered if she ever unknowingly encountered the now-grown woman at a concert.

"I have often wondered that. I don't think that person would ever even know about the way that went down," Parton said. "There was no way to track it and I didn't want to. I couldn't take the baby and I didn't want to be involved. I wanted the police and the people involved to know we had nothing to do with it."

Over the years, Parton has helped children around the country with her Imagination Library program. Since the program launched in 1995 in Parton's home county of Sevier County, Tennessee, the Imagination Library has delivered over 135 million books to kids.

Parton recently received her dose of Moderna, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine she helped fund.

In a video posted to social media, she encouraged others to get the vaccine.

"I just want to say to all of you cowards out there: Don't be such a chicken squat," Parton said. "Get out there and get your shot."