Jolene
Dolly Parton
I’ve only heard a handful of Dolly Parton songs in my life, but I recently visited Dollywood and needed to give her music some more consideration! As I’ve expressed before, I don’t listen to much country, so I don’t feel qualified to deeply judge this music yet. However, I found these tracks catchy, light, and honest. I love the authenticity expressed in the original version of “I Will Always Love You” and Dolly’s phrasing and sweeping vocal lines (e.g., “River of Happiness”).
Something interesting I learned in the Dolly Parton Experience is that the first recordings of “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” were back-to-back on the same tape, meaning they were likely written on the same day! My conclusion after learning this fact, listening to Jolene, and having the time of my life on Lightning Rod is that Dolly rules.