Dolly Parton Debuts New Rock Song During Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

"I'm a rock star now!"

Dolly Parton hasn’t just accepted her new status as a rock star – she has embraced it. Despite her initial reluctance, the country legend leaned into the genre during her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

In her acceptance speech, Parton celebrated the honor and reiterated her plans to release a rock album, Entertainment Weekly reports.

"I'm a rock star now!" she said, per the outlet. "This is a very special night for me."

"I'm sure a lot of you knew that back when they said they were gonna put me in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I didn't feel like I had done enough to deserve that,” Parton continued. “I didn't understand at the time that it's about more than that, but I'm just so honored and so proud to be here tonight."

The Tennessee songstress revealed she even wrote a song, titled "Rockin'," specifically for the event. She came strolling out dressed in a black leather outfit and strummed her electric guitar before treating the audience to a performance of the new track.

"And you thought I couldn't rock!" she exclaimed.

Parton was shocked when she learned that she was nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in March, and respectfully turned it down, claiming she was unworthy of the honor. By May, however, she had come around to the idea, and promised to “live up to it.”

Parton discussed the back and forth and the new song ahead of the ceremony in a recent interview with Pollstar.

“I even wrote a song about the whole situation to sing at the ceremony. A fine, cute little rock ‘n’ roll song that’ll probably go on the rock ‘n’ roll album. It’s called ‘Rockin’”:  ‘You know I’ve been rockin’ since the day I was born…’ You know, listening to Elvis and Journey and Chuck Berry, all those great people. It’s a fine little song, and it’s real rock-y, so I’ll have something fun to play off of, to ease some of the tension.”

You rock, Dolly!

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