CLEVELAND — After saying she would like to respectfully bow out of consideration for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2022, Dolly Parton said in an NPR interview released Friday that she would accept the honor gracefully, having learned that the Rock Hall inducts more than just rock groups and artists.
“Well, I'll accept gracefully. I would just say 'thanks' and I'll accept it because the fans vote,” Parton said in the interview. “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.”
This comment came at the end of the interview, which was largely about a new novel she is writing with thriller author James Patterson.
Shortly after Parton expressed her wish to bow out of the nominated artists for the 2022 class, the Rock Hall issued a statement that read, in part: "From its inception, Rock & Roll has had deep roots in Rhythm & Blues and Country music. It is not defined by any one genre, rather a sound that moves youth culture. Dolly Parton’s music impacted a generation of young fans and influenced countless artists that followed. Her nomination to be considered for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame followed the same process as all other artists who have been considered."
Parton is among 17 artists and groups nominated for the 2022 Induction Class, a list that includes Duran Duran, Eminem, Pat Benatar, Beck, Devo, Rage Against the Machine and more. See the full list of nominees here.
Friday is the last chance for fans to cast their vote for who they think should be inducted this year. Parton is currently in fifth place.
This story was first reported by Ian Cross at WEWS in Cleveland, Ohio.
