About the song
It was a duet decades in the making — and, heartbreakingly, one of the last songs Olivia Newton-John ever recorded. When Olivia teamed up with Dolly Parton for a soulful new rendition of “Jolene”, it wasn’t just a collaboration between two icons — it was a farewell, wrapped in melody, love, and friendship.
Recorded shortly before Olivia’s passing in 2022, the duet brought together two women whose voices had shaped generations. For Dolly, the song was a full-circle moment: “I always loved Olivia,” she said during the recording. “She was one of the kindest, most beautiful souls I’ve ever known.” Olivia, her voice still shimmering with that unmistakable warmth, smiled and replied softly, “I’m so honored to sing this with you. I’ve loved this song forever.”
The emotional weight behind their version of “Jolene” went far beyond nostalgia. The two women shared not just a song, but a history — both had spent their lives breaking barriers in country-pop music, both had faced the glare of fame with grace, and both had carried the scars of personal struggle. Their voices — one honeyed, one smoky — blended like two friends whispering secrets through time.
The video of their performance, released in early 2023, struck millions of viewers as more than just music. Olivia, visibly frail yet radiant, sat beside Dolly in her home studio, smiling with that gentle calm that fans had adored for half a century. When Dolly playfully sang, “Your beauty is beyond compare…” Olivia laughed, a moment that seemed to pause time. “She still had that light in her,” Dolly later said. “Even when her body was weak, her spirit shone so bright.”
Their friendship had spanned over five decades. They first met in the early 1970s, when both were rising stars redefining what country music could sound like. “Olivia was the first person I ever saw who could sing country and pop with the same heart,” Dolly once recalled. “She made it okay for women like me to cross over.” Olivia, always humble, returned the praise: “Dolly’s always been my idol — not just for her talent, but for her kindness.”
Behind the smiles, both women shared battles that went far deeper than fame. Olivia’s decades-long fight with breast cancer became an inspiration to millions, while Dolly used her success to give back through her Imagination Library and quiet acts of generosity. Their duet, then, wasn’t just a performance — it was a message of love, resilience, and gratitude.
When “Jolene” ends, and the final harmonies fade, Olivia looks at Dolly and says softly, “We should sing together again.” Dolly smiles, eyes glistening, and replies, “We will, honey — someday.”
It was more than just a promise between two artists. It was a farewell between two sisters of song — one saying goodbye, and the other carrying her memory forward.
Even now, as fans listen to that final duet, Olivia’s voice still dances beside Dolly’s — proof that love, music, and friendship never really die.
