Metal Icon, 73, Helped Give Dolly Parton Rock Cred With a Surprise Duet

Metal Icon, 73, Helped Give Dolly Parton Rock Cred With a Surprise Duet originally appeared on Parade.

Dolly Parton has been the queen of country for decades, but her foray into the world of rock and roll just happened in the last few years. Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford was an unlikely voice that helped Parton prove she wasn’t just playing dress-up in the genre.

When Parton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Halford joined her on stage for a live rendition of her iconic song, “Jolene.” The heavy metal pioneer’s presence on stage essentially cemented her status as a rocker and gave her some serious credibility in front of a major audience.

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Halford joining Parton for “Jolene” gave her a seal of approval from one of metal’s most respected voices, right as she was preparing to enter unfamiliar territory. Parton clearly took the moment to heart and two months later, she revealed that she was working on her first full-blown rock album. Halford joined her on the record for the original song “Bygones,” and by adding his voice to the track, he helped signal to skeptics that Parton’s rock ambitions weren’t a gimmick.

“[‘Bygones’] is one of my very favorites on the whole album,” Parton said in a statement. “The song fits with so many couples and coupling my voice with Rob, one of my all-time favorites, made it even more special.”

While Halford admitted that the song wasn’t “metal,” he felt that the lyrics were “tough.”

“It was in my world – it wasn’t metal, but it was a tough song, and when you crank it up, it’s roaring,” Halford explained during a November 2023 interview with Louder Sound. “And it’s a wonderful lyric. She’s talking about overcoming the past and how love is stronger than yelling at each other, although I think people that are in love do yell at each other, and that’s a healthy relationship. It’s this great message that love always rises and wins.”

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The following year, he spoke with the publication again, and he still couldn’t help but gush about Parton.

“She’s just this beautiful beacon of life. You can tell by the way I’m speaking that this is important to me as a musician, to have had this literally once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with someone so great.”

Metal Icon, 73, Helped Give Dolly Parton Rock Cred With a Surprise Duet first appeared on Parade on Jul 18, 2025

This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.