Dolly Parton tells Dave Berry country isn’t for her rock loving husband

Absolute Radio Breakfast’s Dave Berry caught up with Dolly Parton on his show this morning.

They discussed Dolly’s latest album, Rockstar, which is something different for the country legend. It features her take on rock classics including Stairway to Heaven and Purple Rain.

The 30-track album also includes guest appearances from forty-two other artists including both remaining Beatles, Elton John, Stevie Nicks and Joan Jett.

Dolly revealed what her 9 – 5 would be if she hadn’t made it as a singer, how she got the Beatles back together and incredibly, how her husband of nearly 60 years can’t stand country music!

If things had worked differently, Dolly thinks she would have been a beautician because she’s good at doing hair! She said that’s why it was so easy for her playing Truvy in the Steel Magnolias movie because she felt like she knew that world.

“I would have still wanted to continue wearing my hair and make-up like I want too and then I would have got a discount on bleach and make up or shampoo,” she told Dave.

One of the tracks on her new album is Let it Be, which she recorded by herself at first, then thought it would be great if Paul McCartney would agree to play piano and sing on it. This idea led her to think it even be greater to have Ringo Starr on the track too.

“Cause that’s the last of the Beatles. And I just asked if they’d do it and they said, yeah – I was excited to death,” she revealed.

Dolly’s chose the songs for the album for her husband, Carl Dean who is a fan of rock music and country is his least favourite.

“We’ve been together almost 60 years, anytime I’m around him, in the house, in the car he’s always playing rock songs,” Dolly told Dave. “I actually chose a lot of his favourite songs to do [for this album], Stairway of Heaven being one of them.

I did a version of Stairway to Heaven some years back as a bluegrass kind of thing, and he didn’t think I should have done it. And he said, are you sure that’s Stairway to Heaven or Stairwell to Hell?”

Thankfully, he likes Dolly’s latest version of the song!

"Are you sure that's Stairway to Heaven and not Stairway to Hell?"@DollyParton explains how her husband Carl is largely the inspiration behind her upcoming rock album, Rockstar 🎸

She joined @daveberry_tweet this morning, listen back in the Absolute Radio app! pic.twitter.com/KT1M7y209W

— Absolute Radio (@absoluteradio) June 30, 2023

A special episode of the whole conversation – When Dave Met Dolly’- will be airing on Absolute Country at 7pm, on Sunday 9 July.