Olivia Newton-John and Dolly reimagine Jolene!

Hi Everyone,

I have been doing my best to cover all of the collaborations that Dolly has done with other artists for her Rock Star album, but this bit of musical news hits differently.

As I am sure you are aware, Olivia Newton-John passed away late in 2022 and as it turns out, she recorded her last song with Dolly Parton and it is a version of Jolene, that maybe you didn't know that you needed, but it is a hauntingly beautiful rendition.  Both of their angelic voices blend perfectly together, and I love the reworked ending, it's awesome!  Watch the YouTube video at the bottom of the article.

Some folks may not realize, or even remember that ONJ had a good run in Nashville recording several country songs in the 1970's, and an album in '75/'76.  "If You Love Me Let Me Know" and "Let Me Be There" were a couple of her country single hits.  She even won the CMA Femal Vocalist of the Year in 1974, beating out Legends like Dolly, Loretta, and Tanya in the category.  It was during her time in Nashville that she and Dolly struck a friendship.

Growing up in Nashville, I can vaguely remember a tiny bit about ONJ showing up around town for events and whatnot and making the local news.  

Here is what WATE-TV - Knoxville's ABC affiliate, had to say about Dolly and ONJ's duet of Jolene:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Singer and actress Olivia Newton-John’s duet with Dolly Parton, which was ultimately her final recording before her passing last year, was released to the public on Friday.

The two famed entertainers collaborated to reimagine Parton’s classic hit ‘Jolene’. A music video was released on YouTube and the song is now streaming on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora and other platforms.

In addition to her starring movie roles like Grease and Xandu, Newton-John was a four-time Grammy Award winner with 15 top-ten singles in her career. In 1974 she won the Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award and remains the only non-American born artist to win the award.

She previously released a Jolene cover on her 1976 album Come On Over.

The release comes roughly six months after her passing. Olivia Newton-John died on August 8, 2022 at the age of 73 from breast cancer.

“So sad to have lost my special friend Olivia Newton-John,” Parton said in a statement on social media following her death. “So happy that our lives crossed paths. I know her voice is singing beautifully with the angels.”