When Dolly Parton was named as a nominee to join the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, she initially demurred, saying that as a country artist she hasn’t earned the honor.
But the fans and voting members alike disagreed, so Dolly’s going into the Hall, whether she thinks she deserves it or not. The country legend has said she hopes to earn her rock bona fides by putting out a rock album — and in a new interview with Pollstar, Dolly says that’s still the plan.
“When I got nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I thought, ‘Well, no better time to do it.’ I had always wanted to do it,” she says, explaining that her husband is a rock fan and she’d love to put out an album full of rock songs for his sake, too.
Dolly says she’s getting her affairs in order to work on that project once her schedule frees up a bit and even hints that she’ll “maybe have some of the greats, the legends of rock ‘n’ roll, sing along with me.”
She certainly wouldn’t be the only country artist to dip her toe into the rock world. Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins, Brenda Lee and Jerry Lee Lewis are just a few Hall of Famers who straddle the country and rock worlds.
Modern country has plenty of rockers, too. Carrie Underwood has been collaborating with Axl Rose onstage quite a bit recently — and covering “Welcome to the Jungle” live on tour — and hitmakers like Brantley Gilbert and Hardy are known for touring on bills that include both country and rock artists.
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