Dolly Rocks

THE QUEEN OF COUNTRY TALKS ABOUT HER NEW ALBUM, GENRE-BUSTING CAREER AND LOVE OF RHINESTONES

- H. ALAN SCOTT

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED LAST year when country music legend Dolly Parton was nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: She said no. While "extremely flattered," she said in a Twitter statement, "I don't feel that I have earned that right." Instead, Parton said, the nomination had inspired her to start work on a rock 'n' roll album of her own, something she'd long wanted to do-a record, she hoped, that would make her worthy of the honor in the future.

In other words, thanks but no thanks.

The upshot? The Rock Hall respectfully rejected Parton's rejection, formally accepting her into its ranks a year ago. And the singer also kept to her word. Rockstar, the rock album Parton pledged to make, drops on November 17-a 30-track extravaganza of nine original songs and 21 covers of classic rock tunes, many performed with the original artists, including Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Debbie Harry and Melissa Etheridge. Other artists who sing along with Dolly include Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Pink, Sting, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Brandi Carlile and Lizzo.

"I think this is some of my best work," Parton tells Newsweek, in an exclusive interview ahead of the album's release later this month. "I just wanted to be true to the songs and true to the art form."