Dolly Parton surprised just about everybody on Monday (March 14) when she declined her nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“Even though I’m extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right,” Parton said on social media. “I really do not want votes split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.”
Parton had a good chance of being inducted, which would have made her only the second female artist to be enshrined in both the Country Music and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame. Brenda Lee was the first. (Lee was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997, two years before Parton. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.)
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This isn’t the first time a country superstar has declined a high-profile honor. At the 23rd annual American Music Awards in January 1996, Garth Brooks declined the artist of the year award.
“I cannot agree with this [award],” Brooks said from the podium at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. “Without any disrespect for the American Music Awards and without any disrespect for the people who voted, for all the people who should be honored I’m gonna leave it right here.”
And with that, he left the stage.
Brooks elaborated on his decision backstage as he addressed the media.
“It wasn’t fair for me to walk away with that award,” he said. “Maybe a year or two ago when we had a really good year. But I’ve been around [the country] talking to retailers…and every one of them credits Hootie [& the Blowfish] for keeping them alive in 1995 and I couldn’t agree more. So I thought that’s who shoulda won.”
Hootie’s debut album, Cracked Rear View, was by far the best-selling album of 1995, according to Nielsen/Soundscan figures. It sold 7,020,000 copies during the calendar year. Brooks’ greatest hits compilation, The Hits, was No. 5 for the year, with sales of 3,786,000 copies. The other nominees for artist of the year were Boyz II Men, TLC and Green Day.
Brooks’ decision made that year’s AMAs end with a “what-just-happened?” thud rather than with an enthusiastic or heartfelt acceptance speech, but Dick Clark, the show’s creator and longtime producer, wasn’t upset. “I thought it was a stroke of genius,” Clark said the following day. “I’m not offended by what he did. I understand what he did. So I sent him a note that we’ll put [his trophy] in the archive.”
Clark, one of the great showmen/producers in TV history, understood that Brooks’ surprising move created far more buzz for the show than any acceptance speech ever could have.
Brooks’ move also earned him positive press. The headline in The Los Angeles Times read “Garth Brooks Gains Honor by Refusing One at Awards.” The newspaper’s reporter, Steve Hochman, noted that Brooks had accepted two awards during the show that he felt he had earned — favorite male country artist, and favorite country album for The Hits. Brooks just felt this wasn’t his year to win artist of the year. (Also, Brooks, then as now, had a flair for the dramatic.)
In her statement on social media, Parton left the door open to future consideration. “I do hope the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will understand and will be willing to consider me again – if I’m ever worthy. 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!”
Parton ended her note by offering encouragement to all of this year’s Rock Hall nominees. “I wish all of the nominees good luck and thank you again for the compliment. Rock on!”
The common link between Parton in 2022 and Brooks in 1996 is a sense of fairness and modesty. They know when they’re deserving of an honor and when something doesn’t quite feel right.
What Parton might be missing is that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has, in recent years, broadened its definition of what constitutes rock and roll, with inductions for such diverse artists as Joan Baez, Nina Simone, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston and Jay-Z.
At this point, “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” is just a name. The organization is well on its way to becoming the Contemporary Music Hall of Fame, in fact, if not in name. And country should absolutely be part of that equation.
Let’s hope Parton’s decision doesn’t make the Rock Hall shy away from recognizing other worthy country artists. Like, say, Brooks, whose showmanship in concert — which has influenced a generation of country artists — would make him an excellent candidate for the award next year.