I cannot WAIT to hear Dolly Parton’s new rock album.
She previously confirmed it was coming next year, also saying it will be called Rock Star.
And in a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon, she gave a little bit more insight as to some of the songs on the tracklist and what fans can expect to hear.
From a Rolling Stones classic like “Satisfaction,” to Prince’s “Purple Rain,” to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and even Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” it’s gonna be STACKED with rock standards and classics:
“It’s gonna come out next Fall, and you know what I’m callin’ it… ‘Rock Star’ is the name of it. Well actually, I am gonna have some cameo people and a few originals.
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,’ I even did ‘Free Bird.’ But I’m gonna have a few guest artists.”
She added that she wrote a few originals, too, and in a separate interview with Hoda Kotb on the TODAY show recently, she says she believes it’s some of the best work she’s ever done:
“I really think it’s some of the best work I’ve ever done. I’ve already been working on it… it’s different for me, I wanted it to be good. I didn’t want anybody to be able to criticize me too much, they might anyhow. But I really think people might be surprised, ‘cuz I’ve loved these songs for years.”
She added that she chose some songs her husband, Carl Dean loves (he’s a massive rock and roll fan, apparently), and she also revealed that the legendary rock star Pat Benatar will be featured on the record… and I already know that’s gonna be absolutely amazing:
“And the songs that I chose, I chose a lot of songs he loved. And then some that I loved, and then I wrote a few things too. And Kent Wells, my longtime musical director, band leader, guitar player, he produced it.
I just knew he was right, ‘cuz he always got that inner rock and roll in him. So he did a wonderful job, and we used all these great rock musicians and I’m gonna have a lot of the iconic singers join me on several of the songs…
Pat Benatar’s gonna join me on something, and Pink is gonna join me. I did my version o f a lot of the songs that I love, that people love. I’ve got a lot of word out to a lot of people, so we’ll see who winds up on it.”
And the amazing thing about this is that, at 76 years old, she’s doing something for the first time.
She’ll be 77 when the record actually comes out, and Hoda asked her about how she’s able to so consistently push herself outside of her comfort zone:
“Well, I just work whatever feels right. You know, I’ve always just kind of flowed like a river… I just let it flow, kinda let God lead me, so to speak.
And it just seems to be the right time to do certain things, and here I am at 77 years old, next year when I come out, I’m gonna be a rock star for a minute. But I really give it all I’ve got, whatever it is.”
Dolly added that she wants to truly earn her spot in the rock hall, echoing similar sentiments she shared before, saying:
“I did not want to be embarrassed by doing a rock album, so I really gave it all I had, and I’m just hopeful that people are gonna… well hopefully, they’re gonna just accept it because they put me in the rock and roll hall of fame.
So if I’m gonna be there, I will feel like, you know, I feel like I need to earn it. So this is my contribution back to say thank you for putting me in there, so now maybe I can rest easy that I might’ve earned it.”
Of course, in my opinion, she’s already earned every bit of it and more, but I so admire her reasoning behind this album and wanting to earn her keep, so to speak.
She’s an icon and a legend in every sense of the word, but she’s always remained so humble and down to earth, and this is probably one of the best examples of that.
There’s a reason she’s the queen… they simply don’t make ’em like Dolly at all.
You can watch the full interview here:
