Dolly Parton breaks America's heart as she bids goodbye to full-blown tours, but gives 'special' promise
SEVIER COUNTY, TENNESSEE: Dolly Parton has bid farewell to full-fledged touring ahead of her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The 76-year-old country singer recently opened up about her future plans.
In a special interview with Pollstar, she revealed that she will no longer be doing full tours and doesn’t anticipate performing more than a handful of special concerts in a year. “I do not think I will ever tour again, but I do know I’ll do special shows here and there, now and then,” Parton said.
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"Maybe a long weekend of shows or just a few shows at a festival. But I have no intention of going on a full-blown tour anymore. I’ve done that my whole life,” she added before admitting, “and it takes so much time and energy.” The last major tour Parton embarked on was her 2016 Pure & Simple Tour, which found the star performing in 60 shows across the United States and Canada.
Further in the interview, the ‘9 to 5’ singer admitted that at the age of 76, she prefers staying close to home and with her husband Carl Dean, whom she married in May 1966. “I like to stay a little closer to home with my husband. We’re getting older now, and I don’t want to be gone for four or five weeks at a time,” Parton explained. “Something could happen. I would not feel right about that if I were gone and somebody needed me. Or I would feel bad if I had to leave a tour if somebody got sick at home and needed me and then I had to walk out on the fans,” the county singer added.
The ‘I Will Always Love You’ singer also noted that she still has some more 70s inspired Rock & Roll music up in her sleeves while talking about her plan of re-recording 'Stairway to Heaven,' the Led Zeppelin classic that Parton recorded as a part of her 2002 album Halos & Horns. "But I’m going to redo that really on the money,” she told Pollstar. “I did it kind of bluegrass-style when I did it; but when I do the rock album, I’m going to re-record it – and do it more true to the regular record. I’m trying to see if Robert Plant might sing on it. Maybe Jimmy Page might do the pick-up part on it. I’m looking forward to dragging in some of the great classic people, girls, and boys, to sing on some of the songs. I’m not far enough along to discuss who and what, but I am going to do an album.”
Talking about her upcoming music, the county singer told the outlet that she intends to ask several new-age artists including Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, and Heart, as well as country star Chris Stapleton, to feature in her new album. “Chris Stapleton is one of my favorite people ever,” Parton said. “I have always wanted to do something with him. Even though he’s not considered rock ‘n’ roll, he’s kind of like me: He’s accepted all the way around. I’m thinking that certainly out of the country field when I do my rock album, I’m going to maybe ask him.”