The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has just picked their newest members, even though she initially didn’t want to get in, Dolly Parton has indeed been selected for this year’s class. She’ll be inducted along with Eminem, Duran Duran, Pat Benatar, Lionel Richie, Eurythmics, and Carly Simon in the Performers category.
“I am honored and humbled by the fact that I have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” Dolly shared after the announcement. “Of course I will accept it gracefully. Thanks to everyone that voted for me and to everyone at the @rockhall. I will continue to work hard and try to live up to the honor.”
Dolly later joked to Billboard, “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!”
In addition to the seven performers, inductees in special categories include Judas Priest, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, for Musical Excellence, Jimmy Iovine, Allen Grubman and Sylvia Robinson, for the Ahmet Ertegun Award and Harry Belafonte and Elizabeth Cotton, in the Early Influence category.
Of this year’s seven performer inductees, five are getting in on their first try – Parton, Richie, Simon, Duran Duran and Eminem. It was the second time on the ballot for both Benatar and Eurythmics, while Em is the only one to make it on his first year of eligibility.
The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony is set to take place November 5th at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater. Dolly tells Billboard she’s not sure if she’ll attend the ceremony, but notes, “If I do, I’m going to sing the hardest style rock ‘n’ roll song I could ever muster up just to show that I can do it.” Click here to see the reactions from more of this year’s inductees.
