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

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

by Hedy Phillips

Our humble queen Dolly Parton may have been nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but she doesn’t think she’s quite ready for the honor. In a message she shared with fans today, she respectfully declined the nomination, which was announced last month, but said she hopes the Rock Hall might nominate her sometime in the future.

The 76-year-old country legend wrote on social media, “Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right. I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.”

She went on to say that this nomination has inspired her to perhaps finally make the rock album she always dreamed of putting together. Her husband of more than 40 years, Carl Thomas Dean, would be in full support of this project, she wrote. “My husband is a total rock ’n’ roll freak, and has always encouraged me to do one.”

Despite fans — and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — feeling like Parton is worthy of this honor, she said she doesn’t want votes to be split because of her inclusion. Fans are able to cast their votes for the nominees, which will be figured into the overall balloting system for who is inducted into the Hall of Fame. The top five fan-voted artists will be included in that count; Parton is currently ranked in the top. However, the governing body and voting parties make the final call on who is inducted.

Parton has long been a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. She started writing music in the 1950s before appearing on The Porter Wagoner Show. The two made music together before she eventually went out on her own. It was that split that actually inspired her to write “I Will Always Love You,” which was famously covered by Whitney Houston. She’s sold more than 100 million albums over the years and has no intention of slowing down any time soon.

Other nominees for this year include Beck, Pat Benatar, Kate Bush, DEVO, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Judas Priest, Fela Kuti, MC5, New York Dolls, Rage Against The Machine, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, A Tribe Called Quest and Dionne Warwick. Nominees are required to have made their first commercial release at least 25 years prior to this year, which means this is Eminem’s very first year of eligibility. Beck, Eminem, Duran Duran, Parton, Richie, Simon and A Tribe Called Quest are all on the ballot for the first time. The inductees will be announced in May.

Photo via Getty/ Andrew Putler/ Redferns

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