Dolly Parton recalls working with Judas Priest’s Rob Halford

Country legend Dolly Parton has reflected on working with Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford – see what she had to say about the metal icon below.

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Speaking to SiriusXM and transcribed by Blabbermouth to promote her new album ‘Rockstar’, Dolly Parton recalled first working with the Judas Priest frontman when they performed a rendition of ‘Jolene’ at the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony – at which both Parton and Judas Priest were inducted.

Parton said to SiriusXM’s Eddie Trunk: “We got to talk a lot ’cause he went in the [Rock And Roll] Hall Of Fame when I did. And so I got to visit a lot of these people that are on the record that were put in the Hall Of Fame at the same time I was. And so when I talked to Rob, I asked him if he would be willing to sing on my record if I called on him. He said, ‘I sure would, ’cause my mom, my grandma, my kids, we’ve all loved you through the years.’”

She also said of Halford’s reaction to performing ‘Jolene’ with her: “He was loving it. He was loving it. He was so nice. I just loved him. But anyway, he said that, kind of like some of the others, they had watched me since they were kids growing up. I had heard they’d been listening to my music. So that made me feel good.”

That Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction performance would lead to Parton enlisting Halford for her original tune ‘Bygones’ – which also features Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx and guitarist John 5 – on her recently released record ‘Rockstar’.

Parton said of ‘Bygones’ and working with Rob Halford: “It just turned out to be something really, really special, I thought. It was a really a good piece of music, I thought.”

Parton’s ‘Rockstar’ scored a four-star review from NME upon its release last week. “Despite the odd unfortunate guest, ‘Rockstar’ is as bursting with life and positivity as the woman who made it,” Jordan Bassett wrote.