Bad Wolves guitarist AJ Rebollo quits over Dolly Parton cover
Bad Wolves guitarist AJ Rebollo quit the band on Friday, calling Better Noise Music's plan to release a "Jolene" cover days after Dolly Parton's death the "final nail in the coffin." Rebollo accused the label of "ill intent" and said he could no longer remain in good faith after two years. The departure adds fresh turmoil to a band already reshaped by lineup changes and a recent tour controversy, landing squarely in celebrity breaking news cycles nationwide.
Key Takeaways
- AJ Rebollo announced his exit from Bad Wolves in an Instagram statement on Friday after two years in the band.
- The guitarist blamed Better Noise Music for pushing a "Jolene" cover days after Dolly Parton died Tuesday at 80.
- Parton had been expected to record vocals for the heavy version; the label still plans a Monday release benefiting her Imagination Library.
- Rebollo said the band told the label it had "no interest" in releasing the song without Parton's collaboration.
- The dispute echoes Bad Wolves' 2018 "Zombie" cover released after Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan died.
Why did AJ Rebollo leave Bad Wolves?
Rebollo wrote that he is "making the decision to step away as a member of Bad Wolves" because he can no longer "in good faith remain a member and co-sign the decisions constantly being made FOR this band by the label."
He pointed to the planned "Jolene" release as the breaking point, calling it the "final nail in the coffin." Rebollo also cited broader frustration with business decisions handled outside the band's control, including daily harassment tied to choices they did not make.
"With the label completely disregarding numerous decisions we make out of passion, and ultimately just unknowingly exhausting the band's attempts to fully enjoy being here, I am no longer happy here," he wrote.
What was planned for Bad Wolves' "Jolene" cover?
Parton had been expected to add vocals to the band's heavy take on her 1973 smash hit "Jolene," according to Page Six. That collaboration was no longer possible after Parton died Tuesday at 80.
Rebollo said the band made its position clear to Better Noise Music: without Parton's vocals, releasing the cover would be "interpreted as somewhat of a capitalization on her passing from an outside perspective."
Despite opposition from Rebollo and other members, the label posted that the song was still coming. The band teased the cover as recently as Friday afternoon.
Is the song still being released without Dolly Parton?
Better Noise Music is still planning to release the track Monday without Parton's vocals, Rebollo's statement indicated. Proceeds will benefit her Imagination Library, which provides free books to children from birth to age 5.
Rebollo acknowledged the donation as "an incredible choice to do something good with the profits," but added he "can't help but feel there is ill intent behind the decision to release the song."
Parton's funeral was held Thursday at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville, Tennessee, as tributes continued nationwide. Tennessee's governor has also said the state intends to rename Nashville's airport in her honor.
Does this mirror Bad Wolves' 2018 "Zombie" controversy?
Bad Wolves faced a strikingly similar situation in 2018, when Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan died the day she was meant to record vocals for the band's cover of "Zombie." That version was released without her and became the group's breakout hit, topping Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart for three weeks and going three-times platinum in the U.S.
Since then, Bad Wolves has weathered repeated lineup changes. Original singer Tommy Vext left in 2021; guitarist Doc Coyle and bassist Kyle Konkiel departed in 2025. Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz later joined Falling in Reverse, and Sara "Killboy" Skinner became the new singer this year.
On Wednesday, Bad Wolves were dropped from Christian rock group Skillet's upcoming tour after fans falsely claimed Skinner was a "trans OnlyFans" performer. Rebollo's exit now adds another layer of instability to a band navigating both creative disputes and public backlash.