About The Song
Released as the third single from her eighteenth solo studio album New Harvest…First Gathering, “Applejack” arrived on August 27, 1977, through RCA Victor. The album itself had come out on February 14, 1977, and featured the track as its second cut. Recorded on December 10, 1976, at the Soundshop Studio in Nashville, the three-minute-twenty-second song was written entirely by Dolly Parton and produced by her in collaboration with Gregg Perry. It had earlier appeared as the B-side of the European single “You Are” before being re-promoted as an A-side in select markets, though it did not enter the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in the United States.
New Harvest…First Gathering marked several milestones for Parton. It was her first fully self-produced album, her first solo project without any creative input from longtime partner Porter Wagoner, and her first to reach number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The record also cracked the top half of the Billboard 200, peaking at number 71. Sessions reflected Parton’s desire to return to a rootsier sound after years of balancing duet work and emerging crossover ambitions, blending traditional country elements with her growing confidence as an independent artist.
The song pays tribute to a colorful local character from Parton’s East Tennessee mountain upbringing. She based the central figure on two real people: her great-uncle Philip Owens, who taught her clawhammer-style banjo as a child, and another neighbor known for making homemade applejack moonshine. The narrative follows Jackson Taylor, nicknamed Applejack, who lives in a small shack by an apple orchard. He picks apples by day but picks a mean banjo by night, drawing the community together with his music and easygoing spirit.
Recording the track became a special all-star gathering. Parton invited a who’s who of country legends to provide background vocals, including Roy Acuff, Kitty Wells, Johnny Wright, Chet Atkins, and Minnie Pearl. The group joined her in the studio for a lively jam that captured the old-time feel of the song. Acoustic guitars, banjo, and fiddle carried the upbeat melody while the guest harmonies added warmth and authenticity, turning the session into a celebration of traditional country music.
In the lyrics Parton describes visiting Applejack almost every day, drinking the homemade applejack he made, and trading songs with him. She would sing while he played banjo and she kept time on her tambourine. The chorus invites listeners to “play a song, let your banjo ring,” creating an infectious, foot-tapping energy that contrasts with the more introspective material on the rest of the album. The story unfolds as a gentle portrait of rural life, neighborly kindness, and the simple joy of making music together.
Though it received limited radio push as a single, “Applejack” stood out as a fan favorite and a clear statement of Parton’s roots. It illustrated her skill at turning personal memories into lively character sketches that honored the older generation of musicians she admired. The song later appeared on various compilations and resurfaced in live performances, including a memorable 1970s television appearance with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt that showcased the same easy camaraderie heard on the studio recording.
Decades later the track remains a reminder of the period when Parton stepped fully into her solo identity. It bridged her mountain heritage with the broader country audience she was building, showing how a lighthearted story about an apple farmer and his banjo could capture the spirit of community and tradition that has always run through her work.
Video
Lyric
Here’s a story about someone else that I grew up knowing and loving in the Smoky’s
This is a story about an old friend of mine that used to play the banjo
And his name was Applejack
Thank you
He lived by the apple orchard in this little old orchard shack
His real name was Jackson Taylor, but I called him Applejack
Now old Applejack was loved by everyone he ever knew
Of course Applejack picked apples, but he picked the banjo too
Play a song for me Applejack, Applejack
Play a song for me and I’ll sing
Play a song for me Applejack, Applejack
Play a song, let your banjo ring
Now I’d go down to Applejack’s just almost every day
We’d sit and we’d drink applejack that old Applejack had made
Then he’d take his banjo down, then he’d ask me if I’d sing
And he would play the banjo and I’d play my tambourine
Play a song for me Applejack, Applejack
Play a song for me and I’ll sing
Play a song for me Applejack, Applejack
Play a song let your banjo ring, woo
We’re gonna pick one
I guess we’ll call it that
That’s when I was just a kid and now that I am all grown
You know all I have are these memories ’cause old Applejack is gone
Oh, but he left me his banjo and it always takes me back
And every time I play it, I still hear Applejack
Clap your hands and sing
Play a song for me Applejack, Applejack
Play a song for me and I’ll sing
Play a song for me Applejack, Applejack
Play a song, let your banjo ring
One more time
Play a song for me Applejack, Applejack
Play a song for me and I’ll sing
Play a song for me Applejack, Applejack
Play a song, let your banjo ring
Woo-ooh
Boy, thank you
Applejack will be proud of you