Bad Wolves’ record label, Better Noise Music, recently announced the release of the band’s cover of “Jolene” by the late Dolly Parton, as shared on Instagram. This release comes just three days after guitarist AJ Rebollo announced his departure from the band, citing the label’s decision to move forward with the cover against the band’s wishes.
In a previous statement, Rebollo explained his decision to leave the band, pointing to ongoing disagreements with decisions made for the group, particularly regarding the release of the Dolly Parton cover.
“I have been at odds with one too many decisions being made for the band for quite some time, but the final nail in the coffin was the label’s decision to move forward with the upcoming Dolly Parton cover, after we blatantly expressed our opposition,” Rebollo said.
He further detailed the band’s collective stance on the release following Dolly Parton’s passing.
“We, as an entity, told the label we had no interest in releasing the cover after learning of Dolly’s unfortunate passing as her collaboration on the song was no longer a possibility, and we felt it would (understandably) be interpreted as somewhat of a capitalization on her passing from an outside perspective,” Rebollo continued. “They went ahead and posted that we were releasing it anyway, despite efforts from more than one member, myself included, to oppose it.”
The controversy follows Parton’s death on Aug. 25, 2026, at the age of 80. According to The Guardian, her representatives said she died after a brief battle with cancer.
Bad Wolves have previously drawn significant attention for their cover recordings. According to ZRock, the band became widely known in 2018 after releasing a cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie,” which became a mainstream success and reached the Billboard Hot 100.
That release also carried a tragic connection to the original artist. As reported by Consequence, The Cranberries vocalist Dolores O’Riordan had been expected to contribute vocals to Bad Wolves’ version but died shortly before the planned recording session.
Rebollo’s departure was reported on Aug. 28, 2026. Metal Anarchy quoted the guitarist as saying he could “no longer in good faith remain a member and co-sign the decisions constantly being made FOR this band by the label.” The report did not identify a separate response from Bad Wolves or Better Noise Music regarding his exit.
Following the release, fans have criticized both the band and the label for moving forward with the song despite the recent controversy. Better Noise Music said that proceeds from “Jolene” would be donated to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides free books to children around the world.
