Dolly Parton 'never meant to cause trouble' with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction: 'I feel honored'
Dolly Parton may not be a traditional rockstar, but the country music icon is singing a different tune about her induction into this year’s
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.
Following the
announcement of her induction Wednesday, Parton told
Billboard that while she had her reservations about accepting the honor, she feels “great” about it now.
“I feel honored that all the people that voted for me did. And I appreciate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame people for staying there with me,” Parton told the outlet in an interview published Wednesday. “I never meant to cause trouble or stir up any controversy.”
She continued: “It was just always my belief — and I think millions of other people out there too — always thought the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was just set up for the greatest people in the rock ‘n’ roll business, and I just didn’t feel like I really measured up to that and I don’t want to take anything away from the people that have worked so hard.”
In March, Parton asked to be withdrawn from the Hall of Fame 2022 ballot in a
social media statement, saying she didn't feel she "earned the right."
The Grammy-winning singer was part of a nominee class that featured artists such as
Eminem, Beck, Duran Duran, A Tribe Called Quest and
Lionel Richie.
While rare, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction for a Country Music Hall of Fame artist isn't unprecedented. An elite class of artists — including Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash,
Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Hank Williams and
The Everly Brothers, among others — can be found in both prestigious clubs.
Parton
tweeted Wednesday she felt "honored and humbled" to be inducted: "Of course, I will accept gracefully," she wrote. "I will continue to work hard and try to live up to the honor."
The singer said she also took into consideration the feelings of her rock music peers who have yet to be recognized by the Hall in her initial thoughts on her nomination.
“I even have a lot of my rock ‘n’ roll friends and people that are, you know, to the point of being bitter about the fact that they’re not being nominated or in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” Parton said. “I was trying to be nice and good about not trying to take something away from somebody that had truly earned it.”
The “Jolene” singer said she doesn’t know if she’ll attend her induction ceremony,
set for Nov. 5 in Los Angeles, but if she does, she’s “going to sing the hardest style rock ‘n’ roll song I could ever muster up just to show that I can do it.”
Parton added that she’s “always wanted to do a great rock album,” citing the influence of Mick Jagger and his band The Rolling Stones.
“I’m hoping we’re both around long enough when I get to doing this record that he’ll come sing with me, and I may have to use The Rolling Stones to play behind me,” Parton said. “I might do something like that — try to get some different rock bands, some of the classic bands — to back me on some of the songs I do and then do two or three or four originals.”
She added: “Now I may have to call my album ‘Rock Star.’ ”
