Bad Wolves have officially got permission to include Dolly Parton’s vocals for their “Jolene” cover. Students from Nashville’s School of Rock have rereleased their cover of her 1974 classic hit, including Dolly’s original vocals with the support of the beloved singer’s estate.
The students released their original take on Parton’s hit on August 31, when the band showed her their cover of “Jolene” before she passed away on August 25. The song’s release comes days after the airing of CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton on ABC and Disney+.
Proceeds from all the downloads and streams of Bad Wolves’ track will benefit Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The singer’s long-time foundation sends books to children all over the world to help, promote and continue childhood literacy. This was Dolly’s most-loved foundation as her father was unable to read and she wants to ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn.
Controversy over Bad Wolves’ Cover Of Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’
The cover of Parton’s beloved hit didn’t come without some controversy. Just before they first released it, the band’s former guitarist AJ Rebollo disagreed with their label, Better Noise Music’s choice to release the Jolene cover.
At that time, he released a statement revealing his feelings that there was “ill intent behind the decision to release the song.” This eventually led Rebollo to leave the band, before he retracted his statement, but still chose to leave.
‘Raw Passion, Heavy Grit & Zero Compromise’
Better Noise Music chairman, Allen Kovac, made a statement relating to the student’s performance of “Jolene,” saying: “Bad Wolves and the kids from The School Of Rock performed “Jolene” with raw passion, heavy grit, and zero compromise. This is the same independent spirit Dolly Parton used to build The Imagination Library from the ground up.”
“Having witnessed the challenges her own father faced with illiteracy, Dolly didn’t wait for someone else to fix the problem, she used her platform to make a difference. She found a way to start sending free books to children to promote literacy and a love of reading because it was important to her,” he said, adding:
“Right now, Dolly’s foundation, The School Of Rock, and Bad Wolves are calling on every artist to honor Dolly’s legacy by using their platform to support this effort and make a difference in children’s lives. Leverage your independent strength to help give the next generation the future they deserve.”
More About the Students of Nashville’s School of Rock Cover of ‘Jolene’
Bad Wolves’ new version includes Parton’s vocals, while her team provided recorded stems mixed specifically for this release by Kent Wells. As noted by Heavy Consequence, the song features Sara “Killboy” Skinner, trading vocals with Parton’s tracks. The cover features a metallic guitar riff throughout, as well as a heavy breakdown shortly before the two-minute mark.
Meanwhile, accompanying the new cover song version is a music video revealing the band jamming with students from Nashville’s School of Rock earlier this month.
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Watch Nashville’s School Of Rock Students Perform Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ Cover