Dolly Parton sings 'Jolene' with Annie Lennox, Duran Duran and others at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction

7 November 2022, 12:13 | Updated: 7 November 2022, 12:14

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Dolly Parton cements her status as a rock 'n' roll icon with a stunning performance at the Hall of Fame.

When Dolly Parton was first nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she initially tried to reject the honour.

The country and pop icon said that while she was "flattered and grateful" for the nod, she didn't feel that she had earned the right until she recorded a proper rock 'n' roll album.

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The Hall of Fame rejected Dolly's rejection, explaining that rock 'n' roll isn't bound by genres, and Dolly eventually backed down and accepted the nomination.

It was a good job, too, as she was voted into the Hall of Fame as perhaps the biggest name in the Class of 2022.

Parton celebrated the accolade with an inarguable rock 'n' roll performance of her massive hit 'Jolene' in collaboration with fellow inductees and special guests including Robert Halford of Judas Priest, Simon Le Bon, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart, Pink, Brandi Carlile and Pat Benatar.

‘Jolene’ Performed by Dolly Parton and Friends at Rock Hall 2022 Induction

“I’m a rock star now!” Dolly said during her acceptance speech.

"Back when they said they were going to induct me into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I didn’t really think that I’d done enough to deserve that.

"I didn’t understand at the time. But this is a very, very special night for me."

The full list of inductees in the main Class of 2022 were Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Eminem and Pat Benetar.

Duran Duran's guitarist Andy Taylor was unable to appear at the ceremony, with his bandmates revealing that he had been diagnosed with incurable stage 4 prostate cancer.

"I'm truly sorry and massively disappointed I couldn’t make it," Andy said in a letter read out by his bandmates.

"Let there be no doubt I was stoked about the whole thing, even bought a new guitar with the essential whammy!

"I'm so very proud of these four brothers; I'm amazed at their durability, and I'm overjoyed at accepting this award."

Harry Belafonte and Elizabeth Cotten were inducted in the Early Influences category, Jimmy Iovine and Sylvia Robinson for the Non-Performer category, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Judas Priest received the 2022 Award for Musical Excellence.

As well as performances by most of the inductees, the show was closed out with a surprise appearance by Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and friends, who performed a medley of Jerry Lee Lewis.

Before his death last month, the controversial pianist was the last surviving member inaugural Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.