Jack White Returns to “Jolene” in London Tribute to Dolly Parton

Hours after news of Dolly Parton’s death on Tuesday, Jack White performed “Jolene” during his concert in London. It was the first time White had played the song live since 2007, a choice that carried more than symbolic weight.

White’s former band The White Stripes made “Jolene” a recurring part of their sets and released their version as the B-side to “Hello Operator.” Parton had called that cover “one of the greatest versions ever of ‘Jolene.’” In footage White shared on Instagram, he leads his band through the song before pointing skyward and making the sign of the cross.

White wrote “Instant Sainthood” in a social post after Parton’s death. His label, Third Man Records, issued a separate statement focused on her broader work: the Imagination Library’s distribution of millions of books, support for education and disaster relief, and decades of community effort. “Dolly’s legacy goes far beyond the music,” the statement read.

Parton was 80.