Jack White Revives ‘Jolene’ In London To Honor Dolly Parton

Jack White honored Dolly Parton by dusting off his fiery take on her classic “Jolene” during his concert at London’s Eventim Apollo on Tuesday night. The performance came just hours after news broke that Parton had died at age 80.

White shared video of the performance on Instagram after the show. At the conclusion of the rendition, the rocker pointed toward the sky and made the sign of the cross in a poignant tribute to Parton.

“Jolene” appeared fourth in White’s 27-song performance between portions of “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground.” The Parton cover marked White’s first performance of the song since 2007 and a solo artist.

The song has long been part of White’s musical history. The White Stripes recorded their distinctive version of “Jolene” and released it as the B-side to their 2000 single “Hello Operator.” The Detroit duo frequently performed the song live, putting their own raucous spin on Parton’s country classic.

Parton herself was a fan of The White Stripes’ interpretation. In a 2016 chat with The Guardian, she called their version “one of the greatest versions ever” of “Jolene,” and she expressed interest in collaborating with White.

White reacted to Parton’s death on social media before taking the stage. He shared a photo of a young Parton with the caption “Instant Sainthood.”

Third Man Records, the label founded by White, also paid tribute by sharing footage of The White Stripes performing “Jolene.” The label highlighted Parton’s impact beyond music, including her work with the Imagination Library and her support for education, literacy, disaster relief and communities in need.

Parton’s philanthropic legacy was immense. Her Imagination Library, launched in 1995 in honor of her father, who was unable to read and write, grew into an international literacy initiative distributing millions of free books to young children. She also supported disaster relief, medical research and education throughout her career.

“Jolene” stands among Parton’s most enduring compositions. Released in 1974, the song became one of her signature recordings and has been covered countless times by artists across genres. “Jolene” scored Parton two Grammy nominations and reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Songs chart.

In a 2017 interview Parton revealed she wrote “Jolene” and the same day she wrote “I Will Always Love You,” another one of her signature songs. Parton backed off the claim a few years later. “Well I don’t really know if they were written in the same night,” the singer said during a 2022 conversation with TED speaker Adam Grant. “When we found an old tape, they were on the same cassette. That could have been a few days apart.”

For White, reviving the song after nearly two decades gave him the opportunity to pay tribute to an artist who had a profound influence on his own musical journey. Watch Jack White perform “Jolene” in London below: