Song Clearance Sheet
5 sources citedJolene
Country1970s110BPM
C♯ minKey
More around 110 BPM → · More in C♯ minor →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed sole songwriter (Dolly Parton), no dispute found — a clean case with an enduring cover history (Olivia Newton-John, The White Stripes, Beyoncé). The dual real-life inspiration — the name from a young fan, the story from a bank teller — is kept as two distinct elements per Parton’s own account.
Used by independents?
Yes — covered by The White Stripes, an independent act on Jack White’s own Third Man Records.
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Dolly Parton (sole writer)
History → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — #1 Hot Country Songs (1974); nearly 300 covers per SecondHandSongs (Olivia Newton-John, The White Stripes, Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter”).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; a confirmed sole writer and an enormous, warmly-received cover history — no dispute.
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Dolly Parton (sole writer)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A dual real-life inspiration — two separate elements
The NAME came from a real young fan (~8) who gave her name at an autograph line; the STORY came from a redheaded bank teller with an innocent crush on Parton’s husband. Parton keeps these as two distinct elements — she’s said it’s “extremely unlikely” the teller’s real name was actually Jolene.
NBC Insider · read it →
A long-delayed Grammy and a Beyoncé blessing
Nominated twice in the ’70s without winning, it finally won a Grammy in 2017 (a collaborative recording with Pentatonix); Beyoncé’s dramatically reworked 2024 version on “Cowboy Carter” was publicly and warmly endorsed by Parton.
Yahoo Creators · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
~300 covers (Olivia Newton-John · The White Stripes · Miley Cyrus · Beyoncé)
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
DP
Dolly Parton
The confirmed sole songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 5 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Batch 5)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass