The Restaurant Chain That Helped Dolly Parton Win A Grammy

Singer Dolly Parton is undoubtedly best known for her 1973 hit song "Jolene." While the song had inspired countless covers over the years, it took decades to earn a Grammy Award. Despite the track being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014, it wasn't until Parton joined the a cappella group Pentatonix for their 2016 cover that things changed. The sextet took home the trophy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance in 2017. Who would have known that bringing these vocalists together would make such a smash hit? Well, believe it or not, there was one restaurant chain that knew from the start: Cracker Barrel.

When she isn't ordering her favorite Taco Bell item, releasing her own brand of syrup, or breaking into the U.S. booze business, Dolly Parton is probably busy partnering with Cracker Barrel. The chain has long celebrated her music and exclusively sold her "An Evening With...Dolly" live album at its stores. In return, Parton has become the face of Cracker Barrel's rewards program. In fact, Cracker Barrel was the brand that put Parton and Pentatonix together for their "Jolene" remake in the first place, earning the chain its first-ever Grammy as well.

Dolly Parton first partnered with Cracker Barrel back in 2009 due to the chain's adoration for her love and positive attitude. It was an obvious pairing, as both Parton and Cracker Barrel hail from Tennessee. Years later, the restaurant chain opted to partner with Pentatonix, aiming to release "Sounds of the Season: Together Again," a holiday special featuring the a cappella group and country music star Mickey Guyton.

But it turned out that Pentatonix had always wanted to collab with Dolly Parton, and their partnerships with Cracker Barrel allowed that dream to come true. "We got really lucky and hit [Pentatonix] on the upswing," Cracker Barrel's VP of Marketing, Don Hoffman, told Forbes in 2017. "It helped Pentatonix grow its popularity and exposure; it was a resurgence of energy for Dolly, not that she needs it." It turned out that the hit song benefitted every party involved.

Today, Cracker Barrel continues to partner with like-minded artists. In 2021, the chain partnered with country artists Shane McAnally, Jennifer Nettles and CeCe Winans for it's "Care It Forward" initiative. As Cracker Barrel continues to partner with up-and-coming artists, the brand may continue to help others win their own Grammy Award in the future.