Dolly Parton, 76, is finally speaking out about the controversy surrounding her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. After sharing with her 1.5 million Instagram fans on March 14 that she was “respectfully” bowing out of the nomination due to the fact that she didn’t feel as if she earned it, the iconic singer and actress has had a change of heart, it seems, In a candid interview with Billboard on Wednesday, May 4 — the same day that the news was officially announced that she would be a 2022 inductee — she revealed what caused her to change her mind on her nomination.
“I never meant to cause trouble or stir up any controversy. It was just always my belief — and I think millions of other people out there too — always thought the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was just set up for the greatest people in the rock ‘n’ roll business, and I just didn’t feel like I really measured up to that and I don’t want to take anything away from the people that have worked so hard,” Dolly said to Billboard. “So I just wanted to go pull out before it got started good. I found out later that it’s far more than that, obviously. … I’m very honored and humbled by [the induction], and so I’ll try to live up to it.”
As HollywoodLife reported, Dolly initially declined the Rock Hall’s nomination, which was announced on Feb. 2. At the time, she told Billboard that she didn’t see herself as a “rock n’ roller in any sense of the word,” and added, “People usually [say] ‘Dolly rocks’ or ‘you rock’ or ‘you’re a rock star.’ I thought they just meant that I was cool, and I took that as a great compliment. But now I’m going to have to take it literally!” However, by that time the ballots were already mailed and the Rock Hall decided that she would remain. On April 29, Dolly told NPR that she would “gracefully accept” the prestigious accolade if she were to be inducted.
On May 4, Dolly said she got a call from her manager, who told her that she would be inducted in the upcoming Nov. 4 ceremony, along with legendary musicians Pat Benetar, 69, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, 72, and Carly Simon, 76. “[My manager] Danny [Nozell] called me from the office and said, ‘You’re going to be inducted.’ I said, ‘Really? Well, I guess I’m a rock star now,'” Dolly told Billboard.