Dolly Parton to Cover Lynyrd Skynyrd, Prince and More on Upcoming Album ‘Rock Star’
Dolly Parton is ready to take on some of rock music's most iconic songs. During a recent appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the country icon shared new details about her exciting, genre-bending project.
Parton's upcoming album, Rock Star, will include covers of famous tracks from the genre's most beloved acts, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Prince, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin.
"I am going to have some cameo people and a few originals," she tells Fallon. "We're gonna have a lot of great, iconic songs like 'Purple Rain,' '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction,' 'Stairway to Heaven,' and 'Free Bird.'"
Fans will have to wait for more details about Parton's first full foray into rock, which is expected to be released sometime in 2023. The project feels like a natural next step for the 76-year-old, who celebrated her induction into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame last month.
"I'm a rock star now! That's what they say," she says with a smile.
Initially, Parton had voiced her wishes to be removed from consideration for the honors after she was included in the Hall of Fame's initial round of possible 2022 nominees.
"Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don't feel that I have earned that right," she shared in a statement posted to her social media pages in March.
When news broke that Parton had been selected as one of the year's inductees, she opted to accept the honor gracefully.
"This is a very special night for me," Parton said during her Nov. 5 acceptance speech, according to Rolling Stone. "I'm sure a lot of you knew that back when they said they were gonna put me in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I didn't really feel like I had done enough to deserve that. And I didn't understand at the time that it's about more than that. But I'm just honored and so proud to be here tonight."
During her Tonight Show appearance, Parton reiterated her surprise and gratefulness over the inclusion.
"I did not mean to start any controversy, but when they said they wanted to put me in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I always thought that was for people who spent their whole life working to be in rock and roll," she explains. "You don't see Led Zeppelin in the Country Music Hall of Fame, although they could [be]!"
Never one to slow down, Parton made her official debut on TikTok on Sunday (Dec. 4) and shared a special message to her dedicated fans.