Rob Halford Wanted a Selfie With Dolly Parton — He Ended Up Singing ‘Jolene’ With Her

A few months before the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Rob Halford had one simple wish: get a selfie with Dolly Parton. By the end of the night, the Judas Priest frontman had gotten far more than he bargained for.

During the ceremony on November 5 in Los Angeles, Halford was invited onstage to join Parton for an unforgettable rendition of her classic hit “Jolene.” Making the unlikely pairing even better, the country legend arrived dressed as though she could have walked straight into Judas Priest — decked out in black leather, sparkling embellishments and chains.

Parton entered the Rock Hall as part of the Class of 2022 alongside Judas Priest, Pat Benatar, Lionel Richie, Duran Duran, Eminem and several other major names. When it came time for “Jolene,” the stage became a remarkable gathering of musical royalty. Halford was joined by Brandi Carlile, Pink, Sheryl Crow, Annie Lennox, Simon Le Bon, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.

Yet Parton and the Metal God were particularly hard to miss. Standing together in their glittering black outfits, they looked surprisingly natural as a duo. Considering Judas Priest helped establish leather-and-studs biker fashion as one of heavy metal’s defining visual styles, Parton couldn’t have picked a more appropriate look.

And yes, Halford eventually got that coveted photo with Dolly too.

Parton also used the ceremony to prove she was taking her induction seriously. Despite being best known as a country icon, she debuted an original rock song titled “Rockin’” during the event.

Her journey into the Rock Hall had initially been complicated. Parton originally attempted to withdraw her nomination, explaining that she didn’t believe she had earned the right to be considered a rock artist. After learning more about the institution and ultimately accepting the honor, however, she decided there was only one appropriate response: make a genuine rock album.

She later explained that being inducted made her determined to earn her place by recording rock music of her own. “Rockin’” was an early taste of that ambition, drawing inspiration from the rock ’n’ roll artists she had listened to throughout her life.

For one night, at least, the gap between Nashville and heavy metal disappeared completely — with Dolly Parton and Rob Halford standing together at the center of it.