Interprets rock classics plus originals in 30-track project
By Preshias Harris
Nobody can deny that Dolly Parton has conquered Country. Co-hosting the 58th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, May 11 with Garth Brooks, Dolly even poked a little fun at being call a GOAT – Greatest Of All Time – pulling a pink wagon onto the stage with a live goat sitting in it!
So yeah, Dolly’s a Country GOAT… but Rock? You might remember that when her name was put forward as a nominee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she initially declined the nomination saying, “I don’t feel that I have earned that right.” However, Dolly was persuaded to accept the nomination and was inducted into the Rock Hall in November 2022.
So, what’s a country girl to do when she is officially recognized as a rock star? Well… record an album titled Rockstar, of course. The 30-track project will be available November 17, 2023 in effectively all media from vinyl to streaming via Butterfly Records. (Find links and more details in my article posted here at Center Stage Mag.)
Ahead of the Rockstar launch, Dolly released the first single, “World On Fire,” coinciding with her premiere performance of the song during the ACM Awards.
On Rockstar, Dolly brings her unique interpretation of some classic rock songs (and some originals) joined on many of the tracks by rock icons such as Elton John, Steve Perry, Paul McCartney, Simon Le Bon, Ringo Starr and Peter Frampton.
You can read my full article about Rockstar, the new single “World On Fire” and more about Dolly Parton at Center Stage Mag here.
Aside from co-hosting ACM Awards and dropping a new single, it was a busy week for Dolly. She also hosted a party to launch Big Bear Mountain, the largest roller coaster at her theme park Dollywood. The $25m ride is part of a projected $500m expansion that will include four new resorts and a campground in addition to the coaster. Take a ‘virtual ride’ on the Big Bear Mountain roller coaster at YouTube here.
Preshias Harris is an advocate for songwriters and a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com