Here’s what I heard from host Raina Douris about Dolly Parton but you can’t tell anybody, okay?
Apparently, Dolly’s husband was spending a lot of time at the bank and Dolly discovered that it was because a new pretty bank teller was working there. Dolly was worried but she had to keep working, hard-working gal that she is.
So Dolly was playing a concert and afterwards this adorable young girl with red hair and bright eyes was waiting backstage for her to autograph something. Dolly melted.
What’s your name? she asked.
Jolene, the girl said.
Pretty name like that should be in a song. I’m gonna write a song.
And that’s how Dolly came to write the song, “Jolene,” using the girl’s name but sending a message to the pretty bank teller whom her husband was visiting. It’s one of her most covered songs. An absolute knock-out.