Joining millions of fans across the globe, Bad Wolves are mourning the sudden loss of the legendary Dolly Parton. To honor the iconic singer and the immense legacy she leaves behind, the heavy metal outfit will officially release their own rendition of “Jolene” on Monday, August 31, 2026.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, the upcoming cover was originally intended to be a direct collaboration with the country superstar. Just weeks before her passing, the band had been in active discussions with her management team, and Dolly Parton was preparing to record her signature vocals for the track.
Detailing the behind-the-scenes timeline of the collaboration, Bad Wolves founder, drummer, and songwriter John Boecklin provided the following:
“Our singer is a big fan of Dolly and had posted a bunch of videos of her covering ‘Jolene‘. So, we decided to make a heavy metal cover version for our next album. On hearing our version, our label CEO Dan Waite sent the finished demo to Dolly‘s manager, Danny Nozell, with a request for Dolly to guest feature on our version. We heard back that Danny had played the track to Dolly, and that Dolly loved our version, and that Dolly was going to go into the studio and add her vocals very soon. We then sent over the stems for Dolly‘s studio engineers to work with. Like everyone, we were devastated of this week’s news of Dolly‘s passing. We will honor Dolly‘s incredible legacy by donating proceeds from ‘Jolene‘ to the Dolly Parton‘s Imagination Library.”
Established in 1995 by Dolly Parton, the Imagination Library serves as the primary initiative of The Dollywood Foundation. The global nonprofit is committed to fostering a lifelong love for reading among children by delivering free, high-quality books to registered kids from birth until they reach age five. Operating without family income restrictions, the organization ships out more than three million books directly to children’s homes every single month.
Discussing the band’s charitable donation, John Boecklin added:
“With ‘Jolene‘, we are proud to help deliver critical funding to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. We know that we can contribute to Dolly‘s vision of giving access to books and improving literacy.”
Concluding his remarks, the drummer shared his deepest sympathies on behalf of the group for everyone affected by the devastating loss:
“Our thoughts are with Dolly‘s extended family, manager Danny Nozell and all of the many thousands of people she touched in her extraordinary life who are grieving her passing.”
Parton died on Tuesday 25 August at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, with her family around her. She was 80.
The news was officially shared via a statement from her PR firm, True Public Relations, accompanied by a deeply personal video message from her nephew, Bryan Seaver.
Born on January 19, 1946, in a one-room cabin in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, Parton rose from humble Appalachian roots to become one of the most recognized and influential figures in entertainment history. Her big breakthrough came in 1967 when she joined country star Porter Wagoner on his syndicated television series, a partnership that launched her into the spotlight before she transitioned into a massive solo career in 1974.
In the emotional video statement, Seaver revealed that delivering this message was a task Parton had entrusted to him years prior.
“My name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” he said.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” Seaver continued. “As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
“It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.”
Parton’s career spanned over six decades, leaving an indelible mark on music, film, and philanthropy. Known for timeless classics like “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “9 to 5,” her quick wit and signature sparkle masked one of the sharpest songwriting minds in American history. Beyond country music, her generosity reshaped lives around the globe through initiatives like the Imagination Library, which has gifted over 200 million books to children.
Even late in her career, Parton continued to redefine her artistic boundaries. In 2022, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an honor she initially tried to decline out of respect for the genre’s origins. True to her character, once inducted, she declared she would earn the title.
That promise resulted in her 49th solo studio album, Rockstar (2023), a star-studded rock record featuring collaborations with iconic musicians including Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Steven Tyler, Elton John, and Stevie Nicks. The album debuted at the top of the Billboard charts, proving that no matter the genre, Parton possessed an innate ability to unite audiences across generations and styles.
