Singer Kelli Belles wrote a song about Jolene's son — the famed character from Dolly Parton's 1973 hit — on a whim.
Then Parton heard it and not only signed off, she sang harmonies on the song.
"It is so crazy and unbelievable and I'm just so grateful," Belles said following a USA TODAY Acoustic performance.
The rising country artist was on her headlining tour with fellow country music artist Trevor Martin in 2024 when the idea first hit. Martin's mother, named Jolene, had come to a show.
"I was in the van the next day and I just turned to him and I was like, you should write a song about being the son of Jolene," she said.
When that idea didn't entice her tourmate, Belles wrote it herself from a woman's perspective. The song eventually made its way to producer Ken Wells, who passed it along to Parton.
"As just a lifelong Dolly fan, that was such a huge moment," she said. "When I heard that she wanted to be a part of the song and sing on it, I was just floored."
The collaboration on "Son of Jolene," out April 17, marks a defining moment for Belles as she builds toward her summer tour and debut album, expected this fall.
The Omaha, Nebraska-native moved to Nashville at 19 without connections, diving into writers' rounds and co-writing sessions.
"Meeting people in person and shaking their hands and seeing their faces and actually talking to them, I feel like that just really made a big difference," Belles said. Now, she's taking that connection nationwide with the Songs & Stories Tour, launching May 1 in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, with stops across the country.
"This tour is really about the stories behind the music," she said. "There's just something special about the moments we create together that you can't replicate on social media."
Bryan West is a music reporter at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: USA TODAY Acoustic: Country singer Kelli Belles debuts 'Son of Jolene'