Country music legend, Dolly Parton, has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame despite her own attempts to remove herself from the running.
Despite protests from the 76-year-old that she hadn’t “earned that right” to be a Hall of Famer, voters disagreed and decided to give Dolly a place in the prestigious club. And the GRAMMY Award winner has now accepted their decision.
Back in March, when Parton first learned of the nomination, she posted a heartfelt message of thanks, but no thanks. She said she was “flattered and grateful to be nominated” but added: “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.”
However, the Hall of Fame foundation flatly refused to let her bow out, mainly because the voting process was already underway. A statement from Hall also argued that Rock & Rock is “not defined by any one genre” and that it has deep roots in country music.
Dolly Parton ‘gracefully’ accepted the Hall of Fame honor
Yesterday, Parton, gracious as always, released a statement saying she was “honored and humbled by the fact that I have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Of course I will accept it gracefully.”
The I Will Always Love You singer added her thanks to everyone who had voted for her and promised to “continue to work hard and try to live up to the honor.”
Dolly Parton still worried about taking a Rock & Roller’s place in the Hall of Fame
In an interview with NPR’s Morning Edition last week, Dolly said she had always believed that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was solely for people within rock music but admitted she had recently learned that was not necessarily the case.
She continued to express concern that she might be taking the place of someone who is a true rock and roll musician. She asked: “But if they can’t go there to be recognized, where can they go?”
Unfortunately for Dolly, a massive hole in her argument is that just too many people love her.
Other stars making the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame cut this year included Lionel Richie, Duran Duran, Eminem, Carly Simon, and Eurythmics. Nominations were also given to A Tribe Called Quest, Beck, Devo, and Rage Against the Machine.