What more could you need on Thanksgiving Day besides food, family and a Dolly Parton NFL halftime show?
The country legend is performing at the Red Kettle Kickoff between the Cowboys and Commanders on Thanksgiving. The American icon will get to live her life in silver rhinestones alongside America's Team in her first football concert. Despite being a Hall of Fame artist, Parton has never put on a concert at a sporting event before, opting out of halftime requests over the years.
But why has she never performed at the Super Bowl? Parton has certainly earned it, solidifying her place as one of the most successful musicians in her past 55 years of music-making.
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She recently opened up regarding the burning question.
Why has Dolly Parton never performed a Super Bowl halftime show?
Parton released her first album in 1967, the same year the first Super Bowl had a halftime performer. She's been asked to do the honors of performing the halftime show many times, yet she's never agreed.
Parton has 10 Grammy awards and 54 nominations, the second-most by a female artist, and has 25 No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Still, the Southern belle doesn't think she's earned her way to the halftime stage. That, and her 9 to 5 is simply too jam-packed.
"I couldn't do it because of other things, or I just didn't think I was big enough to do it — to do that big of a production. When you think about those shows, those are big, big productions. I've never done anything with that big of a production. I don't know if I could have. I think at the time that's what I was thinking," Parton said to The Hollywood Reporter.
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With the release of her newest album and first rock record, the Tennessee native might put the legendary show on her radar. The Red Kettle Kickoff will be the closest she gets for a while, as Usher will headline Super Bowl 58. The musician for the 2025 game in New Orleans won't be decided for a bit, however.
“It would make more sense. That might change. I might be able to do a production show,” Parton said about performing the halftime show now that "Rockstar" is out.
Released Nov. 17, "Rockstar" has a 30-song tracklist and features guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus, Sheryl Crow, Elton John, Mick Jagger and Stevie Nicks. Parton's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year cemented her decision to produce a rock album. She sang only country up until recently and thought she needed a better reason to be a Hall of Famer.
"They told me all the ways that people's music has influenced other people around the world … and told me about other people that were in it besides rock. Then I accepted it," Parton said. "I still thought I needed to earn it. That's why I thought, ‘Well, timing is perfect. There's a real reason for me to do this rock 'n' roll album. Here I am a rock star at 77.'"
