Dolly Parton capped off her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a performance of her signature song, “Jolene.” The country icon didn’t go it alone: Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow, Annie Lennox, Pat Benatar, and Pink — who inducted Parton — were among the all-star cast joining her onstage. But the real wild card was the “Metal God” himself, Rob Halford, who was also inducted into the Rock Hall with his band Judas Priest.
Zac Brown Band served as Parton’s band throughout, playing behind her for “Jolene” and backing up Crow for a performance of “9 to 5” and Carlile and Pink for “Coat of Many Colors.”
Parton originally didn’t think she belonged in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and asked to be removed from consideration, but the Hall denied the request. Six weeks later, she relented, telling NPR, “I’ll accept gracefully.” On Saturday night, she said that if she were to join the Rock Hall, she needed a rock song — and wrote the new “Rockin’” for the occasion, which she performed with Zac Brown Band.
“If I’m going to go in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I’m going to have to earn it,” Parton said, wearing a black leather jumpsuit with red jewels and strumming a blues-rock riff on a matching heavy-metal Superstrat. “And you thought I couldn’t rock and roll.”
In a recent interview with Pollstar, Parton said that she’s through with regular touring. The newly minted Rock Hall of Famer — and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame since 1999 — said she’ll continue to play concerts but not embark on a major tour.
Along with Parton, the 2022 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included Eminen, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, Eurythmics, and Carly Simon. Highlights from the ceremony, held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, will air on Nov. 19 on HBO and stream on HBO Max.