Dolly Parton Officially Joins Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: ‘I Guess I’m A Rock Star Now!’
Dolly Parton is officially a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The East Tennessee was among the…
Dolly Parton; Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Dolly Parton is officially a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The East Tennessee was among the 2022 class inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday evening (Nov. 5) alongside Eminem, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Pat Benatar and more.
The star-studded induction ceremony was filmed at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and will premiere on Saturday, November 19 via HBO.
P!nk inducted Parton into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame from the Microsoft Theater stage.
“Dolly you’re amazing,” she told her. “You bring people together and you put so much light and joy into the world and we all love you so much and I am beyond honored… It is my pleasure to induct you into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame”
“I guess I’m a rock star now!” Parton declared as she took the stage.
“This is a very special night for me,” Parton said. “I’m sure a lot of you knew that back when they said they were gonna put me in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I didn’t really feel like I had done enough to deserve that. And I didn’t understand at the time that it’s about more than that. But I’m just honored and so proud to be here tonight.”
Following her speech and after an outfit change, Parton delivered the live debut of an unreleased new rock song called “Rockin’,” which is set to appear on her yet-to-be-announced rock album.
“Well, I figured if I’m going to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I’m going to have to earn it,” Parton said with an electric guitar in hand. “And you thought I couldn’t rock!”
Donning a black leather ensemble complete with chains, Parton performed the new tune alongside Zac Brown Band’s Zac Brown and Kent Wells, who will be producing her forthcoming rock project.
The song finds Parton giving a shout out to several Rock & Roll icons and admitting that while she’s a country girl at heart, she’s been rockin’ ever since the day she was born.
“I grew up lovin’ Elvis, and wild-man Jerry Lee / Chuck Berry, Little Richard / They all cast a spell on me / Carl Perkins and those blue suede shoes had no place on the farm… I was just a child, but I went hog-wild / For the rhythm and the beat,” Parton sings in the chorus. “I’ve been rockin’, rockin’, rockin’ since the day I was born / I’ll be rockin’ till the day I’m gone / I still got rock ‘n’ roll down in my country soul / And I’ll be rockin’ till the cows come home.”
The show concluded with Parton and a star-studded group of friends, including P!nk, Pat Benatar, Eurythmics’ Annie Lennox, Sheryl Crow, Dave Stewart, Simon Le Bon, Brandi Carlile, and Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, performing the country music legend’s iconic hit, “Jolene.”
P!nk and Carlile also paid tribute to Parton during the ceremony with a special tribute performance of “Coat Of Many Colors.”
Dolly Parton joins an elite group of music icons, including Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins, Bill Monroe, and Brenda Lee, to earn a spot in both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In March of 2022, the “9 to 5” singer respectfully declined, asking for her nomination to be withdrawn. The Rock Hall nomination marked Parton’s first after more than 30 years of eligibility.
“Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right,” she said. “I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.”
During an interview with NPR, Dolly Parton shared that she would “accept gracefully.” She explained that she initially thought that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was solely for Rock artists, however, she later learned that it’s not always the case.
“I just felt like I would be taking away from someone that maybe deserved it, certainly more than me because I never considered myself a rock artist,” she said. “But obviously, there’s more to it than that.”
“Of course I will accept it gracefully,” Parton previously shared in a statement. “Thanks to everyone that voted for me and to everyone at the @rockhall. I will continue to work hard and try to live up to the honor.”
Parton is currently in the process of writing and recording her forthcoming rock album.
“When I got nominated for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, I thought ‘Well, no better time to do it,’” Parton recently told Pollstar. “I had always wanted to do it. My husband is a big hard rock ‘n’ roll fan, and for years I thought, “One of these days I’d like to do an album mainly just for him, just to kind of do it.” When I got nominated, I thought, “Why not just go ahead and do it while the iron’s hot? Maybe have some of the greats, the legends of rock ‘n’ roll sing along with me.”
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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