When you start talking about the greatest country song of all time, you inevitably have to have some Dolly Parton in the conversation. There’s no way around it.
And while it’s certainly debatable, Dolly Parton’s 1973 hit “Jolene” is unquestionably in the conversation.
Written by Dolly Parton about a red-headed bank teller that was flirting with her husband Carl Dean, “Jolene” was released in October of 1973, and on this date in 1974, it topped the charts. It was the second #1 single of her illustrious career.
Since then, it has been covered by everybody from Miley Cyrus and John Mayer to Kesha and Jack White, and has even inspired response songs like Cam’s “Diane.”
Dolly originally premiered the song on The Porter Wagoner Show back in 1973.
And the rest is history.
