Judas Priest and Twisted Sister Members Commend Dolly Parton for Bowing Out of Rock Hall Nod: “A Classy Move”

Dolly Parton’s decision to withdraw herself from nomination into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has garnered praise from rock and metal artists.

Earlier this week, the country music legend bowed out of the Hall nod and said she didn’t feel she had “earned” it, explaining she needed to add to her rock ‘n’ roll cred. She added, “This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock ‘n’ roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do!

Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner and Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider both commended Parton for respectfully withdrawing.

“I think it was a classy move, really,” Faulkner told podcast Rock of Nations with Dave Kinchen. “I think she recognizes her brand, and it didn’t necessarily fit into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And I think it raises questions to what the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s brand is, as well.”

Judas Priest are also nominated this year, so Faulkner has some personal investment in the situation. One of the reasons Parton withdrew was so she wouldn’t take away votes from other artists. As a result of her Dolly dropping off the ballot, Judas Priest have moved into fifth place in the fan poll, although the fan vote has very little weight in the process, only counting as one ballot among hundreds cast by members of the music industry.

Faulkner, who was a fan of Priest long before joining the band in 2011, also wondered why the legendary metal act hasn’t already been inducted. “To call it the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and not have bands like Judas Priest in it from day one, I think, is a weird thing,” Faulkner continued. “I’ve said this before. It’s shocking, really. I don’t know how you can call it the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame without having bands like that in it as default; they sort of spawned the genre.”

Snider also praised Dolly with the following tweet: “Well, @DollyParton just blew my mind. Recognizing she is (amazing but) NOT rock ‘n’ roll, she has turned down her @rockhall nomination! She doesn’t want to take recognition away from an actual rock artist! THANK YOU MISS PARTON!”

If she had been selected, Parton wouldn’t have been the first country artist accepted into the Hall. Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Chet Atkins, and other legends have been notably voted in over the years.

Listen to Faulkner’s interview and see Snider’s tweet below.

Well, @DollyParton just blew my mind. Recognizing she is (amazing but) NOT rock ‘n’ roll, she has turned down her @rockhall nomination! She doesn’t want to take recognition away from an actual rock artist! THANK YOU MISS PARTON!

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— Dee Snider🇺🇸 (@deesnider) March 14, 2022

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