Dolly Parton is seemingly everywhere these days, with an upcoming role hosting the Academy of Country Music Awards on March 7 (with Gabby Barrett and Jimmie Allen joining her), gearing up for the release of her first novel Run, Rose, Run (penned with author James Patterson) and a recent nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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Leading up to Super Bowl weekend, the Country Music Hall of Fame member and 10-time Grammy winner also stars in a two-part Super Bowl commercial for T-Mobile, alongside musician/actress Miley Cyrus. The commercial begins with Parton, dressed in a crisp white blouse and a rhinestone-encrusted vest, speaking directly to the camera.
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“When I see a problem I am going to fix it,” Parton says in a dramatic tone. “America’s got a serious problem, so I’m going to get it off my chest.”
With that, she reaches into her shirt, pulling out a cell phone.
“5G phones, trapped on limited 5G networks,” she says. “But you can make a difference if you join T-Mobile,” she says, and gives Cyrus a call.
“How can I help these phones?” Cyrus asks, to which Parton replies, “You’ve got a voice, use it. Do it for the phones.” Cyrus takes center stage in the second half of the commercial, joining a group of singers in the studio to record a soaring version of a song about 5G networks. Additionally, T-Mobile will donate $250,000 to Cyrus’ Happy Hippie Foundation, which funds programs to support homeless youth, LGBTQ youth and others in need.
This year’s clip marks Parton’s second involvement in a Super Bowl commercial, following a 2021 Super Bowl ad that reimagined her 1980 working woman classic ‘9 to 5.’
Billboard caught up with Parton to discuss the T-Mobile Super Bowl ad, working with Cyrus, her thoughts on the Super Bowl and that recent Rock Hall nomination.
What was your favorite part of working on this commercial with Miley and T-Mobile?
T-Mobile contacted me to see if I wanted to do a commercial for the Super Bowl. That’s the commercial to do all year if you’re going to do one. They had Miley and me in mind for it. I’ll do anything with and for Miley, and she said the same thing. She’s like my fairy goddaughter. I love the concept and it was a cute video. I filmed my portion in Nashville and Miley filmed hers in Los Angeles, but we talked back and forth about it.
What’s so funny is I always carry my phone in my bra, because it’s so handy. I have enough space to hold it. It was so funny because I’m always saying, “My boobs are ringing,” so I thought “How natural is this for me?” We worked together on the mood and they know I’m always selling something and I’m sincere about what I’m selling. It worked out very fun the way I did it. We wanted it to sound like there was some major catastrophe going on that America needed to know about, and then we go into T-Mobile and I pull the phone out, I think people will get a kick out of it.
Do you make time to watch the Super Bowl every year?
I watch it every year. I don’t know all there is to know about football, but my husband is a huge fan so we always watch the Super Bowl. I’m always the one making food and popcorn. When I hear all the hootin’ and hollerin’, I know something great’s going on and I want to get in there with him to enjoy that part. But I always love to watch the halftime shows. I’ve loved all of them.
What is your favorite recipe to make for the Super Bowl parties?
I make that Velveeta cheese thing, the dip with the tortilla chips. That’s one of my favorite things, the salsa and the Velveeta. I make chicken wings, I make all kinds. And lots of great dips.
Country music will be well represented at the Super Bowl this year, with Mickey Guyton singing the national anthem.
I’m always tickled to death when country music is given the respect that I really think it deserves, and country music is so hot right now. We have so many great new artists — and to get to sing on the biggest show of the year, and for it to be one of our own, I feel like a proud parent.
Would you ever sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl?
I’ve been offered it many times, but I’ve never accepted. I’d be scared to death to sing that. That is such a hard song to sing, and people are so critical if you really mess up bad. I’ve just always been afraid of it. You always want it to be great, especially something that serious. Maybe someday I’ll get the nerve to do it.
You are also hosting the upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards on March 7, and will be joined by co-hosts Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett. You’ve previously hosted the ACM Awards in 2000. You hosted the Country Music Association Awards in 1988 and then co-hosted alongside Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood in 2019. What are you most looking forward to about hosting the upcoming ACMs?
I’m real excited about that, because I get to work with some of the newer country artists as well. But I’m just glad to get to host it, because I’m promoting my Run, Rose, Run novel with James Patterson, and I have an album with that. I’m going to get to sing ‘Big Dreams and Faded Jeans,’ a song from that.
I enjoy hosting. I think I’m okay with that. I love the crowd and have always enjoyed it. When I co-hosted with Reba and my other girl Carrie a couple of years ago, that was the most fun I’ve had.
You were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. This year, you are nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Were you surprised to get that nomination?
I was absolutely floored when I heard that. I’ve never thought of myself as being rock and roll in any sense of the word — but I guess they judge it on the music and the influence certain songs have had, and I guess I’ve had songs with other people in that realm. But I don’t know how they judge that.
I’m not expecting that I’ll get in. But if I do, I’ll immediately, next year, have to put out a great rock and roll album — which I’ve wanted to do for years, like a Linda Ronstadt or Heart kind of thing. So this may have been just a God-wink for me to go ahead and do that. It’s just nice to be nominated.