When you’re Dolly Parton, music royalty in your own right, you don’t need to make grand gestures to get noticed. But sometimes, even legends have to pen a ‘love note’ or two. The Queen of Country just revealed she sent a heartfelt message to a couple of renowned music icons. But she didn’t pen this letter back in her youth when she was a burgeoning music star in her own right — it was actually something she did within the past year in hopes of collaborating with musical legends.
Parton’s career has been marked by numerous collaborations and genre-crossing ventures. But her recent endeavor, the rock album, aptly titled Rockstar, has taken this penchant for diversity to new heights on over a whopping 30 tracks, including originals. She decided to take on the massive endeavor after she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — an accolade she didn’t feel like she deserved at first.
“I’m sure a lot of you knew that back when they said they were gonna put me in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I didn’t really feel like I had done enough to deserve that. And I didn’t understand at the time that it’s about more than that. But I’m just honored and so proud to be here tonight,” she said during the 2022 ceremony. She then announced she was working on this rock album.
“If I’m going to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I’m going to have to earn it,” she said before teasing a track off of Rockstar. Given the scope of the project, Parton naturally wanted to work with names synonymous with the genre. And she reached out in the most Dolly Parton way possible.
“So I just sent them a love note through their managers, and I just said what I was doing. And I said, ‘I didn’t want to put you on the spot, but I’d love to have you sing with me on my rock album. And if you’re interested, call me at this number,” Parton explained in an interview with NPR, per People.
The recipients of her note were none other than Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the surviving members of the legendary band, the Beatles.
“And all the people I reached out to said, ‘Yes, we’d love to,’ and I was very honored and very proud and very humbled by that,” Parton explained. Their collaboration on the re-recording of “Let It Be” for her Rockstar album is nothing short of magical. But what stands out is Dolly’s humility and the sweet way she reached out to her colleagues for such a special project.
So here’s to Dolly, who reminds us that sometimes, all it takes is a well-penned ‘love note’ to create something extraordinary.
Before you go, click here for more documentaries about strong women in music.
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