Dolly Parton is headed to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Officially announced this morning, she joins Eminem, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, Eurythmics, and Carly Simon as the class of 2022 for the Performer’s category.
Of course, there has been some debate over the last several months that started when Dolly was initially nominated and subsequently pulled herself out of the running to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March.
Ultimately, they told her it was too late to remove her name because the ballots had already been sent out, and last week, she said she would “gracefully accept” her nomination if she was, in fact, inducted.
And since the news broke this morning that she was in, the congratulations and celebratory posts for the Queen of Country have been pouring in… but we had yet to hear from Dolly herself.
And she just put out a statement on Twitter, saying that the she is “humbled and honored” to be inducted and will continue to try to live up to the honor:
“I am honored and humbled by the fact that I have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Of course I will accept it gracefully.
Thanks to everyone that voted for me and to everyone at the Rock Hall. I will continue to work hard and try to live up to the honor.”
Find me a classier, more gracious woman in the music industry…
She was initially concerned that she hadn’t earned the nomination (because she’s obviously a country artist and always has been), which is why she wanted to bow out, but Dolly later told NPR Morning Edition that she had a bit of a misconception about what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame really is.
They pretty much nominate artists from any category of music, so it’s essentially a “music” hall of fame more than anything else:
“It was always my belief that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was for people in rock music. I have found out lately it’s not necessarily that. But if they can’t go there to be recognized, where can they go?
And so I felt like I was taking away from someone that maybe deserved it certainly more than me since I never considered myself a rock artist. But obviously, there’s more to it than that.”
I’m still holding out for that full-blown, Dolly rock album she said her husband, Carl Dean, has been begging her for, though…
You can watch the official announcement by President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Greg Harris, here:
