A woman from Prince George believes she might have been the inspiration behind Dolly Parton’s hit song, ‘Jolene.’ Juline Whelan met the iconic singer in 1972 and shares similarities with the girl described by Parton as the muse for the song’s title.
Recalling her encounter with Parton at a concert in Disneyland when she was 10 years old, Whelan vividly remembers getting the singer’s autograph. Interestingly, she initially didn’t connect the dots until watching a TV movie about Parton’s life in 2015. Curious about the origins of ‘Jolene,’ Whelan stumbled upon an interview where Parton recounted meeting a red-haired, green-eyed girl named Jolene, sparking Whelan’s realization that she fit the description.
The frequency with which people mistakenly call her ‘Jolene’ instead of Juline further fuels Whelan’s belief in the connection. Despite the song’s mature themes of romantic jealousy, Whelan has come to appreciate ‘Jolene’ and even jokes about sharing a name with the song’s infamous character. The song, ranked as one of the greatest of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, initially irked Whelan but has since grown on her.
With Dolly Parton set to perform in Vancouver on September 19, Whelan hopes for a second meeting with the singer, though she admits she may be too awestruck to speak. Ultimately, Whelan has embraced the unique association with ‘Jolene’ and looks forward to the opportunity to meet the country music legend once again.