Black country music trio Chapel Hart stole the show on a recent episode of the hit NBC talent show America’s Got Talent.
In an America’s Got Talent episode, Chapel Hart wowed judges and audience members when they sang their original single “You Can Have Him, Jolene.”
The song, released in 2021, was inspired by legendary country singer Dolly Parton’s 1974 hit, “Jolene.”
“Golden buzzer, golden buzzer!”
The crowd unanimously chanted before the judges, including record executive Simon Cowell– known for being very harsh–to give Chapel Hart the coveted golden buzzer. Simon called the trio’s performance “fantastic” and “brilliant” and even hinted that the group could land a record deal.
— America’s Got Talent (@AGT) July 19, 2022
“Follow your dreams. It doesn’t matter how crazy they are or how outlandish it is,” Chapel Hart member Trea Swindle said during an emotional moment backstage. “If they say, ‘That’s not a real job,’ you just show them that it is. There are little girls in Poplarville, Mississippi, who think that this isn’t possible, but we’re doing it, you know?”
Dolly herself got wind of Chapel Hart’s performance and retweeted it on July 20, saying, “What a fun new take on my song. Carl’s birthday is today, so I think I’ll hang on to him, and I’m not notifying Jollene that today is birthday #AGT.”
What a fun new take on my song, @ChapelHartBand! Carl's birthday is today so I think I'll hang on to him, and I'm not notifying Jolene that today is
his birthday#AGT https://t.co/UFiT1AH84R
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) July 20, 2022
The Louisiana-based group consists of sisters Danica Hart and Devynn Hart and their cousin, Trea, originally from Mississippi. They reportedly began singing together in 2014 and released two studio albums independently– Out The Mud (2019) and The Girls Are Back In Town (2021).
In 2021, Chapel Hart was also named in CMT’s Next Women of Country.
In an interview with Southern Living in June, Danica noted that while Chapel Hart is honored to be a part of the country music conversation, there have been plenty of Black artists in the genre who deserve recognition too.
“They’re saying, when you open your eyes, there are Black people who are making great country music. Why are we not letting them in? What is the hold up? But it’s an exciting, strange time in country music right now, but we’re super glad and honored to be a part of the conversation,” she said.
