There was some weird hubbub when Dolly Parton got nominated for the Rock Hall of Fame that I’m not sure anyone understands. When her name first got pulled, she DECLINED the nomination stating that “I don’t feel I’ve earned the right.” WHAT?! Elvis is in. Johnny Cash is in. Hank Williams is in. Bill Monroe is in. I mean, the question isn’t Does dolly have the right to be in the rock hall… the question is… why wasn’t she inducted like 40 years ago…?
So, did Dolly truly feel she didn’t deserve to be in? did she somehow feel that being named a “rock icon” was betraying her country background? Maybe it was a “you nerds don’t get to tell me if *I’m* good enough” kind of thing.
We’ll never know because Dolly changed her tune in about a week and now she is a Certified Rock Hall Rock Star ™. So either to “legitimize” herself as a rock star, or to wink at the whole ridiculousness of the occasion, Dolly has released a WHOPPING four LP (packed double CD) Rock album called Rockstar.
The album mostly finds Dolly partnering up with rock icons and covering classic rock cannon tunes. Some of the matches are more traditional- Dolly with Frampton, Mick Fleetwood, Artimus Pyle, Paul, Ringo, Elton. Some of the matches are more “rock with a twist”- Dolly with Miley, Simon Le Bon, Lizzo, And some connect a certain thread that is stitched between disparate genres- Dolly with Stevie Nicks, joan Jett, Linda Perry, and a personal favorite Rob Halford. A few even call way back to Dolly’s influences- a great track with Patsy Cline’s and Elvis’ Jordanaires.
As Dolly strolls through the classic rock catalogue (focused mostly in the ‘70s) she mostly plays it straight and reverent. “Freebird” sounds like the Skynyrd version except Dolly is singing. Heart’s “Magic Man” has the same vibe. It’s fun. For the most part, Dolly sounds great- her personality pouring through effortlessly, as well as her masterful way to inhabit a song without making it a caricature.
Noe every tune is a knock out. I was very excited about Dolly’s take on “Heart of Glass” with Debbie Harry, but the modern production glosses and pinches everything to the point where it’s actually hard to hear the vocals. “We will rock you” has the same fate, unfortunately.
But, there are points where Dolly really does get fired up and those are my favorite sections. 4 Non Bonde’s “What’s up” is a controversial song- a lot of people hate it but I love it. Dolly’s full on approach, as supported by Linda Perry, honestly rivals the original. “Purple Rain,” maybe an unexpected choice, shows just how wide Dolly’s skills really are. Dolly and Joan Jett’s “I hate myself for loving you” ends with a classic Dolly joke. It’s also great to see a sort of understated feminist thread drawn between country, rock, and hip hop with some of these collaborations. Dolly was always independent, even a world where such an approach wasn’t welcomed. Somehow, she found a way to be herself while existing in a world that was oft-unwelcoming to female artists. One of the few originals, “Bygones,” with Rob Halford is a total knockout.
In fact, the originals here are among the strongest contributions. Dolly’s “I dreamed about Elvis” could fit anywhere in her canon from the early days through 9-to-5 to now, and it’s a true joy to hear Dolly, nearing the end of her career, reflect on what made Dolly decide to be Dolly. It’s fun and sweet and maybe a bit deeper than just a cursory lyric reading might suggest.
And it’s stuck on the album’s back end. There are 30 tunes here- 33 on some special editions- and paradoxically, the album doesn’t flow like most classic, classic rock albums. It’s kind of a grab bag best suited to skipping around via the CD than a straight playthrough. Would this LP have benefitted from Dolly taking the wheel and cutting it down into a traditional rock album with a beginning, middle, and end- about half originals and half covers? Or is the point that the album is hilarious ridiculous just like the Rock Hall induction? As down-home and as friendly and open as Dolly presents herself, she’s wise in that she doesn’t tell you EVERYTHING- leaving just enough for you to ponder how much there is left to unfold.