Dolly Parton revealed the real-life inspiration behind her 1973 hit "Jolene" — a bank employee who flirted with her husband.

Dolly Parton, 79, revealed the real-life inspiration behind her 1973 hit “Jolene” during a segment at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s “Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker” exhibit, which opened in 2025 and runs through September 2026. She said the song, one of her most recorded with over 450 versions and her second No. 1 hit, was inspired by a moment of jealousy involving her husband, Carl Dean, and a bank employee named Jolene. Parton recalled a fan asking her to sign an autograph to “Jolene,” sparking the idea, and later used the name while changing details to protect the woman’s identity. Her original handwritten lyrics, along with custom instruments, costumes, and awards, are on display.