The inductees for this year's Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame have been announced, and one name which may be a surprising inclusion for some - including herself - is Dolly Parton.
The country superstar had asked to be withdrawn from the list of potential inductees back in March, saying that she didn't think she had "earned that right" - but last week went back on her initial decision.
In order to be eligible for inclusion, bands or artists must have released their first recording 25 years ago. A nominating committee then selects nominees, and they then go to a vote by an international group of 500 'rock experts', even though artists do not necessarily have to be from the rock genre. Previous inductees have included the likes of Jay-Z, ABBA, Madonna and Miles Davis.
Although Parton was initially reluctant to be included, she was not removed from the process and last week she said that she would “say ‘thanks’ and accept that" if she was nominated.
Yesterday, the 76-year-old icon found herself amongst the other nominees - Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Carly Simon, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar and Judas Priest - and said that she had "never meant to cause trouble or stir up any controversy".
“I feel great. I feel honored that all the people that voted for me did," she told Billboard. "And I appreciate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame people for staying there with me.
“It was just always my belief – and I think millions of other people out there too – always thought the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was just set up for the greatest people in the rock ‘n’ roll business."
She continues: “I just didn’t feel like I really measured up to that and I don’t want to take anything away from the people that have worked so hard. I found out later that it’s far more than that, obviously… I’m very honored and humbled by it, and so I’ll try to live up to it.”
The 2022 ceremony will take place on November 5th in Los Angeles, and Parton said that if she attends, "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.”
