At 77, Dolly Parton is singing her heart out and her face off on two new songs from her forthcoming debut rock album.
On Friday, the country music superstar gave fans another sneak peek at the star-studded album, releasing collaborations with Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and Heart’s Ann Wilson. Both tracks will be featured on “Rockstar,” due out Nov. 17.
Following last month’s debut of the album’s first single, “World on Fire,” comes a remake of Heart’s 1975 classic “Magic Man,” featuring original group member Wilson. Parton added new elements to the song to transform it into a tribute to Carl Thomas Dean, her husband of 57 years.
Former Heart musician Howard Leese, who left the sibling-fronted band in 1998, is featured as a special guest guitarist on the song.
“I’ve always wanted a reason to sing ‘Magic Man’ by Heart and it was one of my first choices for the album,” Parton said with the release. “I was so happy that Ann Wilson agreed to sing it with me. Nobody can outsing Ann, but I gave it my darndest, and we added a few lines that were not in the original. We wanted to have a few things that made it seem like ours … I think it’s magic!”
Parton also released the original track “Bygones,” featuring Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford, whom she met when they were both inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year. The song, which she said was one of her favorites “on the whole album,” also features Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx and John 5.
“‘Bygones’ is an original song (that) fits with so many couples, and coupling my voice with Rob, one of my all-time favorites, made it even more special,” she shared.
With a whopping 30 tracks, “Rockstar” boasts superstar collaborations on new versions of popular songs — many with the artists who originally made them hits. Lizzo, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Elton John, P!nk, Brandi Carlile and Parton’s famous goddaughter Miley Cyrus are among the album’s buzzy lineup.
———
