Not even all of those islands in the stream could’ve seen this coming. Dolly Parton has reversed her stance on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, saying that she’ll now accept the award “gracefully†if she indeed gets inducted with the 2022 class. Appearing on April 29’s episode of NPR’s Morning Edition, Parton cited her change of opinion as being due to reevaluating what the Rock Hall means as an institution. “I’ll accept it because the fans vote. When I said that, it was always my belief that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was for people in rock music,†she said. “I have found out lately that it’s not necessarily that. But if they can’t go there to be recognized, where do they go? And so I felt like I was taking away from someone that maybe deserved it certainly more than me, because I never considered myself a rock artist. But obviously, there’s more to it than that.â€
Last month, Parton unleashed an unprecedented power move about her Rock Hall nomination. In a statement, she asked to be removed from the 2022 ballot amid voting season due to her belief that she wasn’t qualified enough for an induction. “I don’t feel that I have earned that right,†she wrote at the time. “I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.†The Hall responded by stating it would not be honoring Parton’s wishes — ballots had already been distributed to voters — and that her decades of music have “impacted a generation of young fans and influenced countless artists that followed.†Coincidentally, voting for the 2022 class ends today, with the official class set to be revealed in mid-May. Parton is also one of the five acts to earn a “fan vote†ballot spot, along with Duran Duran, Eminem, Pat Benatar, and Eurythmics. Now, we must roll on.