Dolly Parton has another song, out now, from her forthcoming Rockstar album. The 77-year-old released “Let It Be,” joined on the track by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Peter Frampton and Mick Fleetwood. The song was written by McCartney and John Lennon, and became a signature hit for the Beatles.
“Well, does it get any better than singing “Let It Be” with Paul McCartney who wrote the song?” Parton says of the collaboration. “Not only that, he played piano! Well, it did get even better when Ringo Starr joined in on drums, Peter Frampton on guitar and Mick Fleetwood playing percussion. I mean, seriously, how much better does it get? Thanks guys!”
Parton, who decided to do a rock album when she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has high praise for her fans, for letting her take a creative turn, in spite of her decades as one of country music’s biggest stars.
“I want them to enjoy me doing something different, and hopefully doing it good,” Parton shares on TalkShopLive. “I got a kick out of it. I didn’t know how I would be doing a whole rock album … I just chose songs that I’d always loved, artists that we liked.”
“I want the fans to just enjoy that I could do it, and that I wanted to do it,” she adds. “My fans, they go with me whatever I do. And they know I’m not leaving country, good Lord, after all these years. I’m too country to leave it. But I just wanted to do this, and I hope they enjoy it, the rock people, as well as the country people.”
Parton has released several songs from Rockstar, ahead of the record’s November 17 release date, including “World on Fire,” “Bygones,” featuring Rob Halford, with special guests Nikki Sixx and John 5, a cover of “Magic Man (Carl Version), featuring Heart’s Ann Wilson, and “We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You.”
The video for the latter features several Olympic athletes, including Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Noah Lyles and Katie Ledecky, among others. The video will also be used to promote the upcoming 2024 Olympic games as well.
“I love the Olympics! I do my best to plan my schedule to watch as much of it as I possibly can,” Parton says. “I tape it just in case I miss the live action on a certain day and watch it back as soon as possible. I laugh, I cry, I scream, there are no losers in the Olympics as they have all spent a lifetime preparing but I celebrate with the ones that go away with the gold, silver, and bronze medals.”
See a track list for Rockstar below. Find all of Parton’s music, and pre-order Rockstar, at DollyParton.com.
Read ‘Dolly Parton: 11 Things to Know About the Country Music Queen’ here.
Rockstar Track Listing:
1. Rockstar (special guest Richie Sambora)
2. World on Fire
3. Every Breath You Take (feat. Sting)
4. Open Arms (feat. Steve Perry)
5. Magic Man (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
6. Long As I Can See The Light (feat. John Fogerty)
7. Either Or (feat. Kid Rock)
8. I Want You Back (feat. Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
9. What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You (feat. Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
10. Purple Rain
11. Baby, I Love Your Way (feat. Peter Frampton)
12. I Hate Myself For Loving You (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
13. Night Moves (feat. Chris Stapleton)
14. Wrecking Ball (feat. Miley Cyrus)
15. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (feat. P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
16. Keep On Loving You (feat. Kevin Cronin)
17. Heart Of Glass (feat. Debbie Harry)
18. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (feat. Elton John)
19. Tried To Rock And Roll Me (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
20. Stairway To Heaven (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
21. We Are The Champions
22. Bygones (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
23. My Blue Tears (feat. Simon Le Bon)
24. What’s Up? (feat. Linda Perry)
25. You’re No Good (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
26. Heartbreaker (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
27. Bittersweet (feat. Michael McDonald)
28. I Dreamed About Elvis (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
29. Let It Be (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
30. Free Bird (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Butterfly Records/Vijat Mohindra