Dolly Parton "respectfully" bowed out of her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination, but the organization is keeping her on the ballot.

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Dolly Parton stays on Rock Hall of Fame nerd for voters to decide

March 17, 2022

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has declined Dolly Parton’s request to pull her nomination.

The country legend wrote Monday on social media that although she was “flattered and grateful” for the honor, she was concerned her presence on the ballot would split votes. “I don’t feel I have earned that right,” she wrote.

But after a few days of radio silence on the matter, the organization confirmed on Thursday that she’ll remain on the ballot, in part because voting is already well underway.

“Dolly’s nomination, along with the other 16 artists for the class of 2022, was sent out earlier this month to our 1,200 general ballot voters, the majority of whom are artists themselves, for consideration for induction at our ceremony,” the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation said in a statement provided to USA TODAY. “We are in awe of Dolly’s brilliant talent and pioneering spirit and are proud to have nominated her for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Dolly Parton bows out: The country legend ‘respectfully’ removes herself from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame consideration

The statement added that Hall officials respected the star’s “thoughtful note,” noting that “in addition to her incredible talent as an artist, her humility is another reason Dolly is a beloved icon by millions of fans around the world.”

Parton had no immediate comment on the decision, her publicist Marcel Pariseau told USA TODAY on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, during an interview on “Fox & Friends,” Parton doubled down on her discomfort with being included in the Hall’s pantheon.

“Because my perception, and I think the perception of most of America – I just feel like that’s more for the people in rock music. I’ve been educated since then, saying that it’s more than that, but I still didn’t feel right about it,” Parton said. “It kind of would be like putting AC/DC in the Country Music Hall of Fame. That just felt a little out of place for me.”

In fact, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is replete with legendary country musicians, many of whom also are inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Those include pioneering voices such as Hank Williams, Chet Atkins, Bill Monroe and Brenda Lee.

While the Rock Hall certainly is a shrine to classic rock acts, it has from its inception in 1983 aimed to include musical genres that were key ingredients in the gumbo that is rock ‘n’ roll. Hall officials said as much in their statement Thursday.

“From its inception, Rock and Roll has had deep roots in Rhythm & Blues and Country music,” the statement said. “It is not defined by any one genre, rather a sound that moves youth culture. Dolly Parton’s music impacted a generation of young fans and influenced countless artists that followed. Her nomination to be considered for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame followed the same process as all other artists who have been considered.”

Despite laudable intentions, Rock Hall inductions have often been as much a source of controversy as celebration.

In 2016, Steve Miller used his induction speech to roast the hosts. He was particularly galled at being told extra tickets to the event would cost him $10,000 each, and when told to wrap up, responded: “No, we’re not going to wrap this up. I’m going to wrap you up. You go sit down over there and learn something.”

The cost of purchasing a table for the inductees themselves also came up when the Sex Pistols declined to attend in an expletive-filled rant in 2006. “Next to the Sex Pistols, rock and roll and that hall of fame is a (urine) stain ,” their response read.

Induction also seems to consistently re-open personal wounds that most bands endure during their careers. When Van Halen was inducted in 2007, Eddie Van Halen’s rehab stint, as well as fractured relationships with original bass player Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth replacement Sammy Hagar, meant only Anthony and Hagar made the trip to Cleveland.

In 2017, Journey fans hoped they would see original front man Steve Perry hit the mic when he smiled through the band’s induction. But he declined, proving that whatever rift existed between him and his band ran deep.

Conversely, members of Kiss had wanted to perform with their new members at their ceremony in 2014. But when Hall officials indicated they wanted the original members to perform and in full makeup, they refused to play and showed up in suits.