On her way down Hollywood Boulevard recently, Miley Cyrus stopped to admire her godmother, Dolly Parton, on a promotional billboard for Parton’s new album Rockstar. In a video posted on X, Cyrus stood in front of the billboard and pointed it out excitedly.
Videos by American Songwriter
“That moment when you’re driving down Hollywood Boulevard and you see your godmother, the rockstar Dolly Parton,” Cyrus said, pointing to the angelic Parton looming over the street from above. She continued, “I love you so much Aunt Dolly, congratulations on your rock and roll album.”
Parton released her long-awaited first rock album on November 17 to rave reviews and a positive reception. She collaborated on some of rock’s greatest songs with the original artists—such as Elton John and Ann Wilson—and on some others with contemporary artists like Lizzo and Brandi Carlile.
The 30-track album also features original songs as well, “Rockstar,” “World on Fire,” and “Bygones.” The title track touches on childhood rebellion and rejecting societal norms. It has been likened to the place where rock ‘n’ roll flourished for a lot of people, alone in a bedroom with a turntable and a stack of records, cassette tapes, or CDs. “World on Fire” addresses the current political and emotional landscape of the world, where “we’ve all lost sight of common decency,” according to Parton.
It’s an interesting choice to include original music on primarily a cover album, but leave it to Dolly Parton to take all the rules and break them in her perfectly manicured hands. The tracks slip into the lineup and blend perfectly, proving that Parton is, indeed, a rock star.
Parton covered songs like “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” with Elton John, “Magic Man” with Ann Wilson, “Let It Be” with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and even blended musicians on tracks like “I Want You Back” with Steven Tyler singing and Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers Band on guitar. In total, 39 artists agreed to be part of the album, including none other than Parton’s goddaughter, Miley Cyrus. The two sang Cyrus’ 2013 hit “Wrecking Ball.”
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
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