All hail Queen Dolly.
The country queen recently sat down for a feature with The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the release of her first full-blown Rock & Roll album Rockstar, where she talked about the collaboration with Kid Rock on a cover of Elliott Smith’s “Either/Or.”
She was also asked about the incredible streaming numbers artists like Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen have put up this year and the rise in popularity of country music in general within the mainstream view, which has also been fueled by controversial songs like Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” and Oliver Anthony Music’s “Rich Men North of Richmond,” both of which became #1 hits.
Dolly, who is never one to be baited into answering anything she doesn’t want to or used to create controversial headlines, had a perfect answer.
She explained to The Hollywood Reporter that she thinks “it’s great” that country music has had a real moment this year, adding that “everybody has a right to sing it, if they feel it, and if they love it”:
“I think it’s great. I feel the same way about that as I do about people and changes and whoever. I’m just proud that country music is that popular.
Everybody has a right to sing it, if they feel it, and if they love it. If you can sing country music and you love it, I’m just proud that it’s become big.”
She continued, saying that it’s important that the genre has all sorts of people and perspectives involved, so that more and more people have songs they can really relate to.
After all, at the end of the day, country music is really just three chords and the truth, whatever that truth is for you:
“There’ll always be plenty of people that love the old time stuff like Hank Williams and all that.
They’ll go search that, but there are some people that just have that in their gut. I’m just so happy that country music is still considered one of the biggest music [genres].
Seeing all the Black people coming into our business — I think it’s great, ‘cause they sing this. Who besides them could sing about hard ass times? That’s what country music is about.”
It’s that sort of accepting and loving, Switzerland-like approach that Dolly’s had since she started her career, and clearly, I don’t think that’s going to be changing anytime soon, nor should it.
Honestly, I think we could all take a page out of Dolly’s book…
Her response to the Kid Rock echoed those beautiful sentiments of love and acceptance, where she doubled down on why it’s important for her not to “condemn or criticize” anyone, no matter how their opinions may differ from hers:
“I did a song with Kid Rock on this album.
Of course I did that before the controversy that he had, but somebody was talking to me the other day, ‘How could you do this with Kid?’
I said, ‘Hey, just because I love you don’t mean I don’t love Kid Rock. Just because I love Kid Rock don’t mean I don’t love you.’ I don’t condemn or criticize. I just accept and love.”
The woman is a national treasure, and I think it’s pretty damn incredible the all-star cast she’s assembled for this project, from working with Elton John and Steve Perry, to Sting and John Fogarty… it’s going to be something special.
Dolly has already put out quite a few really cool singles and collaborations with some of the biggest names in music, from “Magic Man (Carl Version) ft. Ann Wilson,” “Bygones ft. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5,” and a mashup Queen’s multi-Platinum mega hits “We Are The Champions” and “We Will Rock You.”
She even got The Beatles back together (enough said, really), and is set to headline the Dallas Cowboys halftime show on Thanksgiving.
“We Are The Champions/We Will Rock You”
“Let It Be (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr)”
The full album will be out on streaming platforms everywhere on November 17th, and you can see the full tracklist below.
Rockstar tracklist:
1. Rock Star (special guest Richie Sambora)
2. World on Fire
3. Every Breath You Take (feat. Sting)
4. Open Arms (feat. Steve Perry)
5. Magic Man (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
6. Long As I Can See The Light (feat. John Fogerty)
7. Either Or (feat. Kid Rock)
8. I Want You Back (feat. Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
9. What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You (feat. Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
10. Purple Rain
11. Baby, I Love Your Way (feat. Peter Frampton)
12. I Hate Myself For Loving You (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
13. Night Moves (feat. Chris Stapleton)
14. Wrecking Ball (feat. Miley Cyrus)
15. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (feat. P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
16. Keep On Loving You (feat. Kevin Cronin)
17. Heart Of Glass (feat. Debbie Harry)
18. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (feat. Elton John)
19. Tried To Rock And Roll Me (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
20. Stairway To Heaven (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
21. We Are The Champions
22. Bygones (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
23. My Blue Tears (feat. Simon Le Bon)
24. What’s Up? (feat. Linda Perry)
25. You’re No Good (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
26. Heartbreaker (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
27. Bittersweet (feat. Michael McDonald)
28. I Dreamed About Elvis (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
29. Let It Be (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
30. Free Bird (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)
