On this day (February 2) in 1974, Dolly Parton topped the Hot Country Songs chart with “Jolene.” The title track from her 1974 album was her second No. 1 single. More than that, it has introduced Parton’s music to multiple generations of fans.
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Parton was at a pivotal point in her career. She had been a fixture on The Porter Wagoner Show since 1967. She also toured with Wagoner, and the pair recorded multiple collaborative albums. In early 1974, she was ready to focus on her solo career. That meant walking away from the weekly nationwide audience the TV show provided.
Fortunately, Parton entered one of the most successful periods of her career as she was departing Wagoner’s show. “Jolene” kicked off a string of four consecutive No. 1 singles. The hot streak included the future Whitney Houston megahit “I Will Always Love You.” Later in the decade, she would find her first No. 1 on the country albums chart with New Harvest…First Gathering (1977).
Parton had become incredibly popular among country music fans. Three years after “Jolene” topped the chart, she started working toward crossover success. Her album Here You Come Again (1977) and its singles provided her hits on the all-genre Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts.
“Jolene” Earned Dolly Parton Three Grammy Nominations
Many artists would count themselves fortunate to release a song that received a single Grammy nomination. “Jolene” has been nominated three times over the years.
First, the original version was up for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1975. The next year, a live version from the TV show In Concert earned a nomination for the same award. It didn’t win either time. However, Dolly Parton has taken home a Grammy for “Jolene.”
The a cappella group Pentatonix covered the song in 2016. The next year, it took home the Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Parton was a guest vocalist on the track.
In 2014, “Jolene” became the second Dolly Parton song to enter the Grammy Hall of Fame. “I Will Always Love You” became the first to earn the honor in 2007, according to Songfacts.
Featured Image by Theo Wargo/Getty Images
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