For nearly two decades, Jack White had left one of the most memorable songs from his White Stripes years off his live set.
Then came the news that Dolly Parton had died.
Hours later, on a stage in London, White brought “Jolene” back.
It was a powerful musical tribute to the woman who wrote the country classic more than half a century ago — and a reminder of just how far Parton’s influence reached beyond Nashville.
White performed at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, London, on Tuesday, August 25, shortly after news of Parton’s death at age 80 spread around the world.
Early in the show, he performed his version of “Jolene.”
According to reports, it marked the first time White had performed the song live since 2007.
A Song With a Long History
For longtime Jack White fans, the choice carried special significance.
“Jolene” was not a new addition to his catalog.
The White Stripes frequently performed their own interpretation of Parton’s classic during the band’s earlier years.
Their version was released as a B-side to the 2000 single “Hello Operator,” and a live performance was later included in the 2004 concert film Under Blackpool Lights.
White’s raw, guitar-driven interpretation sounded very different from Parton’s original recording, but the emotional heart of the song remained.
It became one of those rare covers that connected two musical worlds.
On one side was Parton, one of country music’s greatest songwriters.
On the other was The White Stripes, the Detroit rock duo that became one of the defining alternative-rock acts of its generation.
And in the middle was one extraordinary song.
Then “Jolene” Disappeared From His Shows
As White’s career moved forward, “Jolene” largely disappeared from his performances.
The White Stripes eventually disbanded, and White continued making music through other projects and as a solo artist.
Years passed.
Then more years.
By 2026, nearly two decades had gone by since White had last performed his version of the song live.
That made what happened in London particularly meaningful.
This wasn’t simply another familiar song being pulled from an old catalog.
It returned on the same day the world learned that the woman who created it was gone.
Two Words Before the Performance
White had already acknowledged Parton’s death earlier.
On Instagram, he posted an old black-and-white photograph of her accompanied by an extraordinarily brief message:
“Instant Sainthood.”
Those were the only words he needed.
Later that night, he paid tribute in a language he knew even better — music.
During his London concert, White revived “Jolene,” giving the audience a performance that suddenly carried a meaning it could not have had just one day earlier.
Dolly Admired His Version
There was another layer to their musical connection.
Parton herself had spoken warmly about White and The White Stripes’ interpretation of her song.
In a previous interview cited by NME, she described their rendition as one of the greatest versions of “Jolene” and expressed admiration for White as a musician.
That history makes the London tribute even more poignant.
This wasn’t simply an artist selecting one of Parton’s biggest hits after her death.
White was returning to a song that had connected their careers for years.
More Than a Country Song
Parton originally released “Jolene” in the 1970s, but the song ultimately escaped the boundaries of country music.
Artists from completely different musical backgrounds have interpreted it over the decades.
That is part of Parton’s extraordinary legacy.
Her songwriting could survive enormous changes in arrangement, genre and generation while still sounding unmistakably human.
White’s version demonstrated exactly that.
The guitars could become louder.
The performance could become rougher.
The singer could change.
But the emotional tension inside “Jolene” remained.
Tributes From Across Music
White was only one of many major artists who responded to Parton’s death.
Musicians from country, rock, pop and hip-hop shared messages remembering her music, generosity and influence.
The reaction illustrated something fans had understood for decades: Dolly Parton belonged to country music, but country music never contained the full extent of her influence.
Her songs traveled everywhere.
And “Jolene” may be one of the clearest examples.
Nineteen Years Later
There are countless ways for one musician to honor another.
Some write long statements.
Others share photographs or memories.
Jack White chose a song.
A song he had not performed live in nearly 19 years.
On a London stage, only hours after the world learned of Dolly Parton’s death, “Jolene” returned.
For longtime fans, hearing it again would already have been unexpected.
Hearing it on that particular night gave it an entirely different meaning.
Nearly two decades had passed since White last brought the song to a stage.
It took a heartbreaking goodbye to bring it back.
And for a few minutes in London, one of Dolly Parton’s most enduring songs connected two generations of music all over again.