Dolly Parton has revealed all the details about her long-promised “rock album,” titled “Rockstar,” including a 30-song track list, November 17 release date and literally dozens of celebrity guests — including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr joining her for a cover of the Beatles’ “Let It Be.”Brandi Carlile and Pink will be joining Parton on the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” while Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow will be her guests on a song most popularized by Linda Ronstadt, “You’re No Good.” The force of metal will be strong on the song “Bygones,” where Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and Motley Crue members Nikki Sixx and John 5 will join her crew. Lizzo and Sasha Flute will put some wind into her sails on Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” even as Steven Tyler and Warren Haynes put their heads together with the Jackson 5 cover “I Want You Back.” And the aforementioned “Let It Be” won’t just include the two surviving Beatles; it’ll also feature turns from Peter Frampton and Mick Fleetwood.
Roughly half the tracks have artists joining forces with Parton on songs they originated, like not just the ex-Beatles with “Let It Be” but Miley Cyrus with “Wrecking Ball,” Elton John with “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” Debbie Harry with Blondie’s “Heart of Glass,” Joan Jett with “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” Frampton with “Baby, I Love Your Way,” Ann Wilson with Heart’s “Magic Man,” Steve Perry with Journey’s “Open Arms,” Sting with the Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with “Heartbreaker,” Kevin Cronin with REO Speedwagon’s “Keep on Loving You” and Linda Perry with 4 Non-Blondes’ “What’s Up?”
Others joining the party with featured appearances on the album include Stevie Nicks, Chris Stapleton, Simon Le Bon, John Fogerty, Melissa Etheridge, Michael McDonald, Richie Sambora, Ronnie McDowell, the Jordanaires, and Kid Rock.
The first single from the album, “World on Fire,” will be released Thursday night, following Parton’s live premiere of the tune at the end of the Academy of Country Music Awards, which she is co-hosting with Garth Brooks. (“World on Fire” is one of just three tracks on the 30-song collection not to have any celebrity guests, the other two being her covers of “Purple Rain” and “We Are the Champions.”)
The November 17 release will come out on Parton’s own Butterfly label with distribution through Nashville’s Big Machine Label Group. A four-LP version will be available in nine different colors of vinyl with five different covers. It will also be sold as a two-CD set as well as up for digital sales and streaming.
“Rockstar” makes good on a vow 77 year old Parton made to record a rock-themed album after she was nominated for and elected into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with the country-pop superstar saying she would feel better about her induction if she had a full rock album to her name.
Dolly Parton, ‘Rockstar’ Track Listing
1. “Rockstar” (special guest Richie Sambora)
2. “World on Fire”
3. “Every Breath You Take” (Featuring Sting)
4. “Open Arms” (Featuring Steve Perry)
5. “Magic Man” (Featuring Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
6. “Long As I Can See the Light” (Featuring John Fogerty)
7. “Either Or” (Featuring Kid Rock)
8. “I Want You Back” (Featuring Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
9. “What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done for You” (Featuring Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
10. “Purple Rain”
11. “Baby, I Love Your Way” (Featuring Peter Frampton)
12. “I Hate Myself for Loving You” (Featuring Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
13. “Night Moves” (Featuring Chris Stapleton)
14. “Wrecking Ball” (Featuring Miley Cyrus)
15. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (Featuring P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
16. “Keep on Loving You” (Featuring Kevin Cronin)
17. “Heart of Glass” (Featuring Debbie Harry)
18. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” (Featuring Elton John)
19. “Tried to Rock and Roll Me” (Featuring Melissa Etheridge)
20. “Stairway to Heaven” (Featuring Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
21. “We Are the Champions”
22. “Bygones” (Featuring Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
23. “My Blue Tears” (Featuring Simon Le Bon)
24. “What’s Up?” (Featuring Linda Perry)
25. “You’re No Good” (Featuring Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
26. “Heartbreaker” (Featuring Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
27. “Bittersweet” (Featuring Michael McDonald)
28. “I Dreamed About Elvis” (Featuring Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
29. “Let It Be” (Featuring Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
30. “Free Bird” (Featuring Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)
Pre-order HERE.