Dolly Parton removes herself from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations

March 14th, 2022

Dolly Parton arrives at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards on Monday, March 7, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Parton announced that she is withdrawing her nomination from the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of inductees.
Eric Jamison / Eric Jamison

Country music legend Dolly Parton announced Monday she is bowing out of this year’s nominations for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

In a statement posted to her social media accounts, the award-winning singer said that while she was grateful to be nominated for this year’s class, she didn’t think she’d “earned that right.”

“I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out,” Parton said in her statement. “I do hope that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will understand and be willing to consider me again — if I’m ever worthy.”

NPR reached out to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for comment, but has not received a response.

The 76-year-old singer, who was the only country artist on this year’s ballot, was among several first-timers in this year’s class of nominees — which also included rapper Eminem, hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest and legendary singer, songwriter and producer Lionel Richie.

Parton said that her Hall of Fame nomination has inspired her to “a hopefully great rock ‘n’ roll album at some point in the future,” and that her husband, Carl Dean, “has always encouraged me to do one.”

“I wish all of the nominees good luck and thank you again for the compliment. Rock on!” Parton wrote.

Parton is one of the few individuals who has been nominated for the four awards that make up the “EGOT” — an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, according to the museum. She has received 11 Grammy awards and 50 Grammy nominations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, along with 10 Country Music Association Awards.

To be eligible for nomination into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, artists or bands must have released their first commercial recording by 1996. Music fans will be able to vote for their favorite musicians online, and the votes will be tallied alongside ballots submitted by more than a thousand artists, historians and music industry members worldwide.

Country artists have been included in past hall of fame classes, including Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Brenda Lee and Chet Atkins.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will announce this year’s 2022 class in May, and it formally will be inducted in the fall, according to its website.