In 1972, a woman from Prince George, Juline Whelan, had an encounter with Dolly Parton that she believes might have inspired the famous song “Jolene.” Whelan, who was 10 years old at the time, attended a country music concert featuring Parton while on a family trip to Disneyland. After the show, she approached Parton for an autograph, recalling her admiration for Parton’s song “Coat of Many Colors.”
Years later, Whelan realized the potential connection between her meeting with Parton and the creation of the song “Jolene.” After watching a TV movie about Parton’s life in 2015, Whelan conducted research and stumbled upon an interview where Parton described meeting a red-haired, green-eyed girl named Jolene. Struck by the similarities between herself and the description, Whelan began to piece together the possibility that she was the inspiration behind the song.
Whelan’s conviction is further strengthened by the frequent confusion between her name, Juline, and the name “Jolene.” She noted that it is common for people to mistakenly refer to her as Jolene, reinforcing her belief in the connection.
Despite the song’s mature themes of love and jealousy, Whelan has come to appreciate “Jolene” over the years, even though it initially bothered her when others teased her with the song. Today, she acknowledges the song’s greatness and has reconciled sharing a name with the iconic character.
As Dolly Parton prepares to perform in Vancouver on September 19, Whelan hopes for the opportunity to meet her once again, although she admits she may be left speechless in the presence of the legendary singer.
