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Dolly Parton says she has not “earned” Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame nomination

By | Published on Tuesday 15 March 2022

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton has withdrawn herself as a nominee for entry into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame this year. Not – like The Sex Pistols, Axl Rose and Ozzy Osbourne – because she thinks the whole thing is nonsense, but because she doesn’t think she’s rock and/or roll enough.

In a statement posted on social media, Parton explains: “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”.

There has been some debate over what constitutes rock n roll in the context of the Hall Of Fame in recent years of course, particularly as rappers have started to be inducted into the museum.

Although with Eminem on course to be inducted this year, Parton doesn’t seem to be entering that particular discussion. She just feels that her 60-odd year career to date has been far too clean cut to qualify as rock n roll. However, that could be about to change.

“I do hope that the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame will understand and be willing to consider me again – if I’m ever worthy”, she continues. “This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock n roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do! My husband is a total rock n roll freak and has always encouraged me to do one. I wish all of the nominees good luck and thank you again for the compliment. Rock on!”

Rock on, indeed. Nice to see she’s getting into the spirit already. I’m not sure anyone but Dolly Parton would actually dispute that she was deserving of a place in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, and perhaps she’s taking the whole thing a bit too seriously. Still, it’s admirable and impressive, I guess, that someone with such a long and eventful career would think they still have more they need to do.

The Hall itself has not yet commented on Parton’s request to withdraw from the nominees, and currently she is still listed on the museum’s website. You can still vote for her and everything. Maybe they’re hoping a sudden rush of support might convince her to change her mind, I don’t know.

The other nominees this year are Beck, Carly Simon, Kate Bush, MC5, Judas Priest, Dionne Warwick, Rage Against The Machine, Devo, Duran Duran, The New York Dolls, Eurythmics, A Tribe Called Quest, Eminem, Fela Kuti and Lionel Richie.

Parton is or was in fourth position in the fan vote, after Duran Duran, Eminem and Pat Benatar, with Eurythmics completing the top five. If Parton is indeed out, then Judas Priest will move into fifth place. The final fan vote will be considered alongside the ballots of the wider voting panel of over 1000 artists, historians and music industry representatives. The final list of inductees for 2022 will be announced in May.



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