Dolly Parton now says she'll 'accept gracefully' if voted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

By Carena Liptak

Dolly Parton is currently on the ballot for potential inclusion in this year's class of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, despite a statement she made last month requesting that her nomination be withdrawn. Now, she's changed her mind.

Previously, in her bid to remove herself from the running, Parton explained that she didn't feel she'd earned the right to be considered, despite being "extremely flattered and grateful."

She did say that the nomination had inspired her to release a rock album one day, and she hoped the Hall would be open to considering her again in the future, after she'd created more of a body of work in the rock genre.

But the Hall soon countered to say that Parton would stay on the ballot, despite her wishes.

"From its inception, Rock and Roll has had deep roots in Rhythm & Blues and Country music. It is not defined by any one genre, rather a sound that moves youth culture," read a statement released by the institution at the time.

In a new interview with NPR's Morning Edition, Parton now says that she misunderstood the scope of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, underscoring that she didn't want to take votes away from any other nominees who are more firmly rooted in the rock genre.

"I just felt like I would be 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," she noted.

In the light of the Hall's response, though, Parton says she'll "accept gracefully" if inducted. "I would just say thanks and I'll accept it because the fans vote," she added.

Parton is one of 16 nominees up for possible induction into the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.