Dolly Parton and Kid Rock are a duo I never thought we’d see really team up.
But he’s featured on a song called “Either Or” as part of Dolly’s new rock and roll album, Rockstar… but it didn’t come without a little bit of controversy.
At the time the tracklist was announced, fans were upset that Dolly, who has generally avoided political statements, collaborated with Kid Rock, who has been outspoken on many political issues including his support for Donald Trump and, of course, his anger at Bud Light for partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
She released it right around the same time as the whole Bud Light fiasco, which Kid Rock was very much at the center of, and with it being 2023, it sent people (mostly on X/Twitter, of course), into a firestorm being mad that Dolly would work with him.
Though, Kid has since backpedaled some (and has also been pictured drinking Bud Light), saying he “can let the thing go.”
A few weeks ago, Dolly sat down for a feature with The Hollywood Reporter ahead of her album’s release, where she was asked about the collab with him and defended her decision.
She explained that she always tries to look for “innocence and purity” in herself and everyone else, adding that she’s not here to “condemn or criticize,” but rather just “accept and love,” and this partnership is no exception:
“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.”
She continued, telling The Hollywood Reporter that she’d “probably” still have done the collab even after the controversy, saying it kind of fits in with the message of the song they’re singing in a way, too:
“Like I said, I had done that before, but I’d have probably still done it, because he is a gifted guy, and that song was about a bad boy; it was about a boy that was cheating and mistreating her.
But like I say, I love everybody. I don’t criticize, nor I don’t condone nor condemn. I just accept them. But anyhow, just because I love you don’t mean I don’t love Kid Rock in that God way.”
It’s the take and 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.
And today, the moment I’ve been waiting for since all this craziness went down finally came, and the song is officially here.
An original tune written by Dolly and Kent Wells, it features some fun banter between the two artists in Dolly and Kid Rock, as they go back and forth debating the end of a relationship after the man is caught cheating.
They bring in some fun horns on the production, and honestly… Kid Rock was the perfect choice for this song, and I actually like it way more than I thought I would (not that I ever doubted the Queen, but you get it…).
I’d highly recommend giving it a listen… you might be pleasantly surprised:
“Either Or (feat. Kid Rock)”
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)
