Are you ready to rock? Dolly Parton is. The iconic singer-songwriter announced her first-ever rock album, Rockstar, back in May. “I’m so excited to finally present my first Rock and Roll album Rockstar!” she said in a statement on May 9 with the album’s details. “I am very honored and privileged to have worked with some of the greatest iconic singers and musicians of all time, and to be able to sing all the iconic songs throughout the album was a joy beyond measure. I hope everybody enjoys the album as much as I’ve enjoyed putting it together!”
Rockstar seemingly started in 2022 when Dolly was nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — and she tried to get her name off the ballot. “Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated,” she wrote in March 2022, “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. I do hope that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will understand and be willing to consider me again — if I’m ever worthy. 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 the nominees good luck, and thank you again for the compliment. Rock on!
However, the Rock Hall kept Dolly on the ballot. A month later, Dolly said that she would accept if inducted. “I’ll accept gracefully,” she told NPR. “I would just say thanks, and I’ll accept it because the fans vote. But when I said 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. But if they can’t go there to be recognized, where do they go? So I just felt like I would be taking away from someone that maybe deserved it, certainly more than me, because I never considered myself a rock artist. But obviously, there’s more to it than that.”
As expected, Dolly was elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She was “humbled” by the honor, and she referenced the album that would be Rockstar at the induction ceremony. “I’m sure a lot of you knew that back when they said they were gonna put me in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I didn’t feel like I had done enough to deserve that. I didn’t understand at the time that it’s about more than that, but I’m just so honored and so proud to be here tonight,” she said, per Entertainment Weekly. “If I’m going to go in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I’m going to have to earn it.”
In November 2022, she spoke with Pollstar magazine and confirmed that she was working on the album. “Well, I am. When I got nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I thought, ‘Well, no better time to do it.’ I had always wanted to do it,” she said. “My husband is a big hard rock’ n’ roll fan, and for years I thought, “One of these days, I’d like to do an album mainly just for him, just to kind of do it.” When I got nominated, I thought, ‘Why not just go ahead and do it while the iron’s hot? Maybe have some of the greats, the legends of rock ‘n’ roll, sing along with me.'”
She wasn’t kidding. There are some legends on this album — including her goddaughter Miley Cyrus. Here’s what we know about it.
When Will Dolly Parton’s ‘Rockstar’ Be Released?
Rockstar will arrive globally on November 17 via Butterfly Records with distribution by Big Machine Label Group.
The album will be available as a 4 LP set for all the vinyl lovers out there. There will be standard black, clear/natural, opaque metallic gold, opaque pink, clear red, clear blue, opaque deep purple, opaque white, and opaque metallic silver versions (different stores will have different versions. The Gold, it appears, will be a Target exclusive).
The album will also be available as a 2-CD set for those who don’t have a record player. Click here for the pre-order, as well as all the box set options. The album will also be available for streaming on your preferred platform.
Who Will Feature On Dolly Parton’s Rockstar?
The question is – who isn’t going to be on this album? When Dolly announced that she wanted to make a rock album, everyone volunteered, and it seemed that Dolly gave everyone a chance to duet with her.
Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi (who gave Dannielynn Birkhead lessons) will be on the album, playing with Dolly on the title track. Sting will perform a version of “Every Break You Take” with Dolly and Journey’s former frontman Steve Perry will join for a cover of the band’s “Open Arms.”
That is just the tip of the rock legend iceberg. Anne Wilson and Howard Leese of Heart will cover “Magic Man” with Dolly. Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty will join for a version of CCR’s “Long As I Can See,” while Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Gov’t Mule/Alman Brothers Band’s Warren Haynes will lend their talents for “I Want You Back.” Peter Frampton will duet with Dolly for “Baby I Live Your Way,” while legendary guitarist Waddy Wachtel and Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks will help Dolly cover “What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You.”
Other icons lending their voices and songs to Dolly include Elton John (“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”), REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cornin (“Keep On Loving You”), Blondie’s Debbie Harry (“Heart of Glass”) Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon (“My Blue Tears”), Melissa Etheridge (“Tried To Rock And Roll Me”), 4 Non Blondes’ Linda Perry (“What’s Up?”), Patt Benatar and Neil Giraldo (“Heartbreaker”), Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (“I Hate Myself For Loving You”), and Dolly’s dearest ‘goddaughter,’ Miley Cyrus (“Wrecking Ball”).
Steely Dan’s Michael McDonald will join Dolly for “Bittersweet,” possibly the song by Big Head Todd & The Monsters. Pink and Brandi Carlile will help Dolly cover The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Judas Priest singer Rob Halford will bring Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx and new Crue member (and former Rob Zombie’s guitarist) John 5 for a song called “Bygones.” Country/Americana legend Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow will help Dolly on “You’re No Good,” likely the Linda Ronstadt rocker. Chris Stapleton will join in for a cover of Bob Seger’s “Night Moves.”
Plus, Lizzo and her flute – Sasha Flute – will join Dolly for a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven,” which in itself is going to be beyond belief.
On top of all that, Dolly’s album does some wild things: first off, she gets the two surviving Beatles: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr – to join her, Mick Fleetwood, and Peter Frampton for a version of “Let It Be.”
Miley Cyrus will be on her godmother’s new album, which fans are totally hyped for. The duo teamed up for a rendition of Miley’s 2013 hit “Wrecking Ball” which they released on October 20. “I’ve grown up covering my Aunt Dollys music & it’s an honor to hear her singing one of my songs,” Miley wrote on Instagram after the pair’s collaboration dropped. “I love you Aunt Dolly! I’m so happy to add another collaboration under our bedazzled (studded leather) belt! We’re ROCKSTARS now! You can hear so much sweetness and love on this record. Excited to share it with everyone. Forever your Doll Baby, Miley.”
Closing out the album is a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” featuring Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band, founding Skynyrd member Gary Rossington – who just passed away in March 2023 – and Ronnie Van Zant, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s vocalist who perished in the 1977 plane crash. Likely, they’ve isolated Ronnie’s vocals from the masters and included him in this track.
As noted by The Pit, one person stands out in the lineup: Kid Rock. As The Pit notes, Dolly is a “vocal supporter of the LGBTQIA2S+ community; in the past, Parton has advocated for marriage equality on The Joy Behar Show, and she has vocalized love and acceptance of her gay following and has vocalized her support of drag queens.”
The inclusion of Kid Rock on Rockstar is odd since Kid Rock was the instigator of the Bud Light boycott after the beer company partnered with trans activist Dylan Mulvaney for a sponsored TikTok video. Kid Rock shot up a couple of cases of Bud Light as a form of protest, an oddly violent gesture (since Anheuser-Busch presumably already had Kid Rock’s money for the beer) that was met with as much criticism as support. Kid Rock will join Dolly for “Either Or.”
What Are The Songs On Dolly Parton’s Rockstar Album?
In addition to the songs mentioned above, Dolly will cover Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” and “World On Fire” (likely the song by Sarah McLachlan)
- “Rockstar” (special guest Richie Sambora)
- “World on Fire”
- “Every Breath You Take” (feat. Sting)
- “Open Arms” (feat. Steve Perry)
- “Magic Man” (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
- “Long As I Can See The Light” (feat. John Fogerty)
- “Either Or” (feat. Kid Rock)
- “I Want You Back” (feat. Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
- “What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You” (feat. Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
- “Purple Rain”
- “Baby, I Love Your Way” (feat. Peter Frampton)
- “I Hate Myself For Loving You” (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
- “Night Moves” (feat. Chris Stapleton)
- “Wrecking Ball” (feat. Miley Cyrus)
- “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (feat. P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
- “Keep On Loving You” (feat. Kevin Cronin)
- “Heart Of Glass” (feat. Debbie Harry)
- “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” (feat. Elton John)
- “Tried To Rock And Roll Me” (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
- “Stairway To Heaven” (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
- “We Are The Champions”
- “Bygones” (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
- “My Blue Tears” (feat. Simon Le Bon)
- “What’s Up?” (feat. Linda Perry)
- “You’re No Good” (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
- “Heartbreaker” (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
- “Bittersweet” (feat. Michael McDonald)
- “I Dreamed About Elvis” (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
- “Let It Be” (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
- “Free Bird” (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle, and The Artimus Pyle Band)
Are YOU ready to rock? Be sure to pre-order/pre-save Dolly Parton’s Rockstar.