Dolly Parton Is Working On A Rock And Roll Album That Will Feature ‘A Lot Of The Icons’ Singing With Her

Earlier this year, Dolly Parton sparked a conversation when she rejected her Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nomination: “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 stated. She ended up changing her mind and accepting it, but in her rejection statement, she also mentioned the desire to put out a rock album. It looks like that’s finally coming to fruition.

At the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 2022 induction ceremony last night (November 5), Parton told a reporter about the reason she rejected the nomination and then changed her mind, and she also shared that she’s working on a rock album. “I said, ‘Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame?! Me?!’ I thought, Well, I don’t know if I deserve to be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, because I never thought of myself as a rocker,” she said. “But I’ve always loved rock and roll. My husband’s a huge rock fan. I just thought that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was for the rockers of the world. But anyway, when I found out it was a little more than that — just the fact that I’ve influenced people with my music — and I said, if they put me in, I would accept it gracefully. And I’m here and I will and I’m honored.”

She continued, “Well, I’m excited, I’m doing a rock and roll album. I thought, Well, the time is right. Timing’s everything. I had always thought I might do one, but I hadn’t thought about doing it right now. But I thought, Well, why not right now, with all the hoopla and all the craziness that went on around this? So I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna do a lot of classic songs. I’ve written a few rock songs, and I’m gonna have a lot of the icons sing with me.”

According to Billboard and Rolling Stone, Parton debuted a track titled “Rockin’” from the upcoming album alongside Zac Brown Band during the ceremony. The country icon was one of seven performers inducted at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The others were Carly Simon, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie, and Pat Benatar.

Watch the full clip of Parton on the red carpet below.

Zac Brown Band is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.