“I’m a rockstar now,” said an elated Dolly Parton during her 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction speech. Though Parton graciously declined the induction at first, she later welcomed the honor and met it by recording the first rock album of her career, Rockstar.
Released in 2023, Rockstar features covers of classic rock songs and some originals by Parton with a collection of special guests including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Sting, Ann Wilson, John Fogerty, Steve Perry, Steven Tyler, Peter Frampton, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow, Michael McDonald, Linda Perry, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Mick Fleetwood, and more.
During her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction performance, Parton was also joined on stage by some of her Rockstar collaborators, including P!nk, Crow, Benatar, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart, Simon Le Bon, and Brandi Carlile.
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“Jolene” and Judas Priest
Also on stage, singing along to her 1973 classic, “Jolene,” Parton was joined by Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford. On Rockstar, Halford also duets with Parton on the original song, “Bygones,” which she wrote with producer Kent Wells, and features Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx and John 5.
“It [‘Bygones’] is one of my very favorites on the whole album,” said Parton of the song in a statement. “The song fits with so many couples and coupling my voice with Rob, one of my all-time favorites, made it even more special.”
When Halford first heard the song, it wasn’t metal, but he said the lyrics were ‘tough” and he liked it—How long must you punish me? / Why can’t we just move on? / Let bygones be bygones / But you never will.
“It Wasn’t Metal.”
“It was in my world—it wasn’t metal, but it was a tough song, and when you crank it up, it’s roaring,” said Halford. “And it’s a wonderful lyric. She’s talking about overcoming the past and how love is stronger than yelling at each other, although I think people that are in love do yell at each other, and that’s a healthy relationship. It’s this great message that love always rises and wins.”
He added, “But the words of her songs have a tremendous reach beyond the initial subject matter. You could also put that song on the world stage — y’know, it could be about politics, government, war, anything.”
Halford recorded his vocals for “Bygones” at a studio in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, while communicating with Parton in Nashville.
“We’re on the phone to each other and she’s going [using Southern accent], ‘Send me the files. Send me the files,’” recalled Halford. “So I sent her the files, and she calls back and goes, ‘I love these. This is gonna be great.’ This is Dolly Parton on speakerphone. She’s just this beautiful beacon of life. You can tell by the way I’m speaking that this is important to me as a musician, to have had this literally once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with someone so great.”
Halford said he was a fan of Parton’s for as long as he could remember, with his first recollections of her going “all the way back,” he said. “I think everybody on the planet knew of this remarkable woman,” said Halford, who remembered first seeing Parton on British television and being engaged.
“When she performs, even if you’re not a country fan, there’s something about her personality that draws you in—not only as a musician, but as a humanitarian, a staunch supporter of LGBTQ+ people, right from day one—even when you didn’t talk about that,” added Halford. “And visually, she’s as unique as Lemmy [Kilmister].”
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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