Turns Out Dolly Parton Is 'Rock & Roll Enough'

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced this year's class of new inductees which includes Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie and Carly Simon. The musically diverse lineup of artists includes those that have shaped cultural soundscape over the past several decades — spanning the genres of rap, country, synthpop, soul and obviously rock. This marks the first year that Parton, Richie and Simon were all nominated with Eminem having the extra special distinction of getting the honor during his very first year of eligibility.

Related | Dolly Parton Doesn't Think She's Rock & Roll Enough for Hall of Fame

What is perhaps even more impressive is that Dolly Parton managed to lock up her nomination despite having previously declined the honor. This past March, the country music icon announced that she would be turning down the nomination expressing that while she was "extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated" she felt like she hadn't "earned that right" and didn't "feel worthy." Parton worried that her nomination would potentially split votes but did add that this might finally be the motivation to make the rock album she's always wanted to write.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame would later confirm that despite her statement she would still be eligible for induction. Parton would eventually rescind her turned down invitation and "gracefully accepted" the nomination in the end, saying in an interview that "it was always my belief that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was for the people in rock music, and I have found out lately that it’s not necessarily that.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2022 induction ceremony is set to take place November 5, moving from its normal home in Cleveland to the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be simulcast on Sirius XM's Volume channel and will air at a later date on HBO and HBO Max as usual.

Photo via Getty/Mike Coppola