When Dolly Parton took the stage at her 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, she proclaimed, “I guess I’m a rock star now!” She put action behind those words when she announced she was releasing her first rock album, Rockstar, out on November 17. A whopping 39 artists all agreed to take part in the project, ranging from rock legends Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Mick Fleetwood to modern superstars like Miley Cyrus, P!nk, Chris Stapleton, and more. The sheer volume of people who committed, especially being from all genres of music, proves the power and respect that Parton has accumulated in her incomparable career.
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“I love that I can express every thought and feeling that I’ve ever had through music,” Parton told American Songwriter in the November 2022 cover story. “Music is the voice of the soul, and it will live on forever.” Below, we look at each of the renowned artists on Rockstar.
Bands
Across Rockstar‘s 30 songs, roughly 15 bands are represented, with The Beatles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Journey among them. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are arguably the biggest rock stars on the album. The Beatles’ members team up with Parton, Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood, and Peter Frampton on a sensational cover of “Let it Be.” Richie Sambora, lead guitarist and principal songwriter for Bon Jovi, appears on Rockstar‘s opening and title track, while Steve Perry, former lead singer of Journey, duets with Parton on one of the band’s other hits, “Open Arms.” Ann Wilson and Howard Leese of Heart team up with the country superstar on a rendition of Heart’s hit, “Magic Man.”
But Parton made a habit out of blending bands too. Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler sings with her on “I Want You Back” as Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers Band shreds on guitar. Parton pulls off a truly all-star band collaboration when she tags Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, and guitarist John 5 on the original track “Bygones.”
The album comes to a stunning close with one of the greatest rock songs of all time, “Free Bird,” featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd and Artimus Pyle Band.
[RELATED: Everything We Know About Dolly Parton’s ‘Rockstar’ Album]
Female Artists
Parton collaborates with a team of trailblazing women on Rockstar, with Miley Cyrus, P!nk, and Stevie Nicks all showing up. Parton teams up with her superstar goddaughter Cyrus on a new rendition of the latter’s megahit “Wrecking Ball.” “When I heard ‘Wrecking Ball’ I almost wept in my car,” Parton shared in a press statement. “When it started into the chorus it hit me like a wrecking ball! I thought how great can a song be and how great can Miley Cyrus be?” The all-female trio of Parton, P!nk, and Carlile go all out on a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” while Lizzo intriguingly appears on Led Zepplin’s iconic “Stairway to Heaven.”
She pulls in a pair of star female collaborators, Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow, on “You’re No Good,” while Nicks appeared on the song she penned solo, “What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done for You.” Blondie’s Debbie Harry, Melissa Etheridge, and Linda Perry are some of the other superstar women who lend their voices to Parton’s multi-faceted project.
Male Artists
The male artists that Parton has assembled for the album are just as impressive as the women. Elton John, Sting, Chris Stapleton, and John Fogerty, are among the jaw-dropping names you’ll see on the Rockstar tracklist. Kid Rock’s name is also there, drawing mixed reactions from fans for his often inflammatory and polarizing comments. The two duet on “Either Or.” “I don’t condemn or criticize. I just accept and love,” she said of working with Kid Rock.
Parton told ABC News it was a “great honor” to sing with Sting on a cover of the Police’s biggest hit, “Every Breath You Take” and that he provided “some of the most amazing harmonies.” Another massive hit she sings with a fellow icon is Elton John, the two duetting on his classic, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin and Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon also show up for Rockstar.
See the Full List of Artists Featured on Rockstar:
Richie Sambora
Steve Perry
Ann Wilson
Howard Leese
John Fogerty
Kid Rock
Steven Tyler
Warren Haynes
Stevie Nicks
Waddy Wachtel
Peter Frampton
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Chris Stapleton
Miley Cyrus
P!nk
Brandi Carlile
Kevin Cronin
Debbie Harry
Elton John
Melissa Etheridge
Lizzo
Rob Halford
Nikki Sixx
John 5
Simon Le Bon
Linda Perry
Emmylou Harris
Sheryl Crow
Pat Benatar
Neil Giraldo
Michael McDonald
Ronnie McDowell
The Jordanaires
Paul McCartney
Ringo Starr
Mick Fleetwood
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Artimus Pyle Band
Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
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