Dolly Parton’s Welsh Version of ‘Jolene’ Set for Release After Her Death

A previously recorded version of Dolly Parton’s iconic song Jolene, featuring the country music legend singing parts of the song in Welsh, is set to be released after her death.

The recording was made in 2025 as part of a collaboration between Parton, Welsh singer-songwriter Bronwen Lewis and Parton’s niece, Jada Star. The new single is scheduled for release on October 9, according to BBC Wales.

The story began when Lewis, a Welsh speaker from Neath, translated some of her favourite songs into Welsh. Around two years ago, she shared a video of herself singing Jolene in Welsh online. The performance attracted attention and eventually reached Parton’s family.

Parton’s niece, Jada Star, contacted Lewis after hearing the Welsh version. The two developed a friendship, and Star later suggested creating a new recording with her aunt.

Lewis said she was overwhelmed when she learned that Parton was willing to take part. Parton subsequently recorded her contribution at her studio in Nashville in early 2025 after working through the pronunciation of the Welsh lyrics.

The collaboration became especially meaningful because Parton had Welsh ancestry through her mother’s family. Star and Lewis said Parton was proud to take part in the Welsh-language recording.

Lewis had hoped that the three women would eventually meet to celebrate the release together. That plan did not happen before Parton died on August 25, but Star and Lewis decided to complete the project.

For Lewis, hearing Parton sing in Welsh was a remarkable moment. The recording also created an unexpected connection between Parton’s long musical career and her family’s Welsh heritage.

Parton had previously spoken about her Welsh roots and her connection to Wales. Her mother’s family, the Owens family, had links to Wales, and Parton had visited the country several times during her life.

The new Jolene recording will become Parton’s second posthumous release. Another collaboration with U2 is expected to be released in November, while a separate recording has reportedly been placed in a time capsule for a planned release decades from now.

Parton spent more than seven decades in music, building a catalogue that includes thousands of songs and becoming one of country music’s most internationally recognised performers.

The Welsh version of Jolene offers listeners a final opportunity to hear her voice in a language closely connected to her family history, while also highlighting the friendship between Lewis and Star that brought the recording to life.

Sources: BBC Wales.