10 May 2023 , 21:19
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What a way to make a living…after 50 years in country music, Dolly Parton is going rock ’n’ roll.
The singer reluctantly accepted a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year and promptly set out to earn the accolade by recording 30-track album Rockstar at the age of 77.
And she has persuaded some of the biggest names in the music business to help her out.
She sings Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me with Sir Elton John, and joins the two surviving Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr, in a version of Let It Be, with Peter Frampton and Mick Fleetwood making up the numbers.
Dolly’s goddaughter Miley Cyrus is also on the album, duetting a version of her hit Wrecking Ball.
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Dolly Parton is mixing things up on new record (Getty Images for ABA)
Dolly duets with her goddaughter Miley Cyrus (NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)Rockstar includes nine original songs and 21 covers. Its lead original track, World On Fire, is released today to coincide with its world premiere performance at the Academy of Country Music awards.
Dolly said: “I’m so excited to finally present my first rock ’n’ roll album, Rockstar.
Macca and Ringo sing Let It Be with the country legend (PA)“I am very honoured 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.”
Dolly initially resisted her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, saying she had not “earned the right” and would rather “respectfully bow out”.
Dolly takes George Michael's place with duet on Elton's Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Sven Hoppe/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)But she later said she would accept “gracefully” and try to “live up to the honour”.
Dolly, whose hits include 9 to 5 and Jolene singer went on to headline the ceremony in Los Angeles in November.