CBS Mornings recently hosted Dolly Parton to talk about her new book, ‘Behind The Seams,’ and her first-ever rock album, ‘Rockstar,’ waiting for release on November 17. During the chat, Parton revealed what she thought of releasing a rock album after decades in the industry by saying:
“I’m a rock star. [Laughs] I laugh out loud at that, too, just like I do at being a fashion icon. I always loved it, but I’m from the country, and country music was my livelihood. But my husband is a huge rock and roll fan, and I used to think that I would do a rock album someday, and then the time went on. I started getting older, and I thought that’d be a joke now, and then I thought, ‘Well, timing’s everything.’ So, I decided I’m going to do that rock and roll album.”
The singer collaborated with many names from the rock scene, including Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Nikki Sixx, to cover classics like ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’ and ‘Let It Be.’ She also added nine original tracks to the album and released one of them as the lead single in May 2023.
The lyrics of ‘World On Fire’ included criticism against politicians worldwide, as Parton performed it for the first time at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards. As the country musician mostly maintained her apolitical stance throughout her career, CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell questioned her about this song’s theme during the recent chat. So, she explained:
“Actually, I didn’t think of that as political as much as I was thinking of it as trying to save our a**es. It was more about just all the things that’s going on in the whole wide world. I thought, ‘Why are people not thinking about what we’re doing to each other and to this world, the only world we’ve got to live in?’ So, I just felt led to write something because that’s how I do express myself.”
Mentioning her general attitude towards politics, she went on:
“I’m not political, but I do write. But I do feel it just like the first line of [the song] that says I’m not one for speaking out much, but that don’t mean I don’t stay in touch, and I do. I’m in touch, and I worry, and I pray, and I think, ‘What all can I do?’ So, we all need to do things in our own way to try to make a change.”
Although there will be no supporting tour for ‘Rockstar,’ Parton will perform select tracks from the album at The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show at the Dallas Cowboys game on Thanksgiving Day and continue to take the stage for future events like award shows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWY72TmyhrU
