Dolly Parton reacted to the news that she made it into the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class after making a public plea to have her name taken off the ballot.
During the 76-year-old country music legend’s interview with Billboard magazine, Parton joked that when her manager told her she would be inducted, she thought, “well, I guess I’m a rock star now.” She went on to explain how she felt so “honored,” reported the outlet.
“And I appreciate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame people for staying there with me,” the country superstar shared. “I never meant to cause trouble or stir up any controversy. 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.”
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“So I just wanted to go pull out before it got started good,” she added. “I found out later that it’s far more than that, obviously. … I’m very honored and humbled by [the induction], and so I’ll try to live up to it.”
The “Jolene” hitmaker’s fellow inductees this year include Pat Benatar, Carly Simon, Eminem, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, and the Eurythmics.
Parton said she wasn’t sure if she would attend the induction ceremony set to take place in Los Angeles in November.
“I don’t know,” Dolly said. “If I do, I’m going to sing the hardest style rock ‘n’ roll song I could ever muster up just to show that I can do it. I don’t know what I’ll do. … But I’ll do something to make it fun and to be forgiven for my mistake. To earn my title.”
Parton reiterated her plans to release a rock album and said she’s not sure when yet, “but I will do one,” she promised, hinting she would like to collaborate with legendary rocker Mick Jagger.
“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.”