Dolly Parton Wants to Reunite Robert Plant and Jimmy Page
Dolly Parton said she was hoping to reunite former Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant and Jimmy Page for a new rendition of “Stairway to Heaven.”
She covered the track on her 2002 album Halos & Horns, opting for a bluegrass-style version. But in a new interview with Pollstar ahead of her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, she said she wanted to deliver a more faithful version.
“When I got nominated, I thought, ‘Why not just go ahead and do it while the iron’s hot?’” Parton said of her plans for a rock album. “Maybe have some of the greats, the legends of rock ’n’ roll sing along with me. I’m gathering all that stuff and notifying a few people.”
In the past, she’s covered a range of rock songs. “All those things from the rock field were my husband’s idea,” she explained. “Though he did not like it when I was going to do ‘Stairway to Heaven.’ But I’m going to redo that really on the money … and do it more true to the regular record. I’m trying to see if Robert Plant might sing on it. Maybe Jimmy Page might do the pick-up part on it. I’m looking forward to dragging in some of the great classic people, girls and boys, to sing on some of the songs.”
Listen to Dolly Parton’s 2002 ’Stairway to Heaven’ Cover
Parton noted that the project isn’t advanced enough to offer any details, although she’s already written one song inspired by her Rock Hall induction invitation, which she plans to perform at the ceremony on Nov. 5.
“A fine, cute little rock ‘n’ roll song," she said. "It’s called ‘Rockin’: ‘You know I’ve been rockin’ since the day I was born.’ You know, listening to Elvis and Journey and Chuck Berry, all those great people. It’s a fine little song, and it’s real rocky, so I’ll have something fun to play.”