Dolly Parton says she’s “honored and humbled” by her inclusion into this year’s class of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, which were announced on Wednesday.
“Of course I will accept it gracefully,” Dolly continues in a statement on social media. “Thanks to everyone that voted for me and to everyone at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I will continue to work hard and try to live up to the honor.”
The crossover country legend will join the Hall in its Performers category, alongside Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Carly Simon, Eminem, Eurythmics and Lionel Richie.
Dolly hasn’t always been sold on the idea that she deserves to be part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. When nominees were first announced for this year, she asked to be removed from the ballot, explaining that, as an artist primarily working in country music, she didn’t feel as if she’d earned that recognition in the rock world.
“I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out,” she said at the time.
But the Hall countered that Dolly would stay on the ballot, regardless of her wishes, pointing out that rock “is not defined by any one genre, rather a sound that moves youth culture,” according to a statement.
Subsequently, in an installment of NPR’s Morning Edition, Dolly said she’d “accept gracefully” if inducted, elaborating, “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. But obviously, there’s more to it than that.”
The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place November 5 in Los Angeles.
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