Featured photo by Dolly Parton
Story by Kaleigh Young
The 78-year-old superstar Dolly Parton has done it again with her new album “Rockstar.” She has dipped her toes into a new genre: rock. The sweetheart of Tennessee definitely has turned her fans in a brand-new direction.
The starting track “Rockstar,” produced by Kent Wells and Mark Needham, starts with a conversation between Parton and allegedly her parents, saying, “Well, I’m gonna be in rock ’n’ roll whether you two like it or not.”
She definitely proves in the song when she sings, “I dreamed I was a rockstar/ They say if you can dream it you can have it, so just play rockstar.” Parton definitely has the grit in her voice for rock, and she still sounds as young as ever throughout this album.
The seventh track of her album “Either Or” features Kid Rock, well-known for rap in Detroit in the ‘90s. He is now more part of the country rap scene. Their two voices on this track tell a story of a cheating partner wanting you back. Parton wants her fans to know she is standing firm in her decision. She sings, “You either stay, or either you go/ It’s an either-or situation.” She and Kid Rock finish out the song with heavy bass to really entice us to listen more.
Track nine, “What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done For You,” is an interesting switch with famous star Stevie Nicks. Nicks’ high voice with Parton’s falsetto makes this song a fan favorite. It talks about how the rock ’n’ roll industry has been fun for Stevie but challenging because she was a woman in rock. In the first verse, Stevie sings, “She was a self-made woman, he was a self-made man/ And these two could really understand each other.” The irony of the song is while they can both love rock, they won’t have the same experience.
Switching to a more modern time in rock, track fourteen, “Wrecking Ball” from Parton’s goddaughter Miley Cyrus, takes us for a heart-tugging spin. If you were there in 2013, be prepared to find yourself more in love with Miley’s passion on this track.
Parton starts on the intro, “We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain… We kissed, I fell under your spell/ A love no one could deny,” which keeps you on your toes with her untamed vocals. You can hear the emotions in both of their voices during verse three, “All I wanted was to break your walls,” the rawness is soul-crushing.
Parton reels us back in with a classic on track thirty-one, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” Her voice stays in this grainy tone that makes the record feel alive. When she sings, “Hit me with your best shot,” the first time, she has this roughness that really stands out. The second time
we hear the chorus, her voice changes to a daintiness level that really shows her range, all by her singing alone.
Her new album really is as rock ’n’ roll as she describes it to be. She definitely still has the music industry in her hands at age 78. Parton has a huge range and continues to grace us all with her wonderful voice and talent.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell and Assistant Lifestyles Editor Shamani Salahuddin, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on X at @MTSUSidelines.
