Dolly Parton Says ‘SNL’ Appearance ‘Almost Killed Me’
Saturday Night Live brings in big stars from across the entertainment industry. And like her “goddaughter” Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton has taken the stage at 30 Rockefeller Center. The country artist and renowned philanthropist might be up for a challenge most of the time. But apparently, SNL was a bridge too far for her.
A look back at Dolly Parton on ‘Saturday Night Live’
Dolly Parton appeared on SNL in 1989, during the show’s 14th season. She gave her monologue in a peacock blue suit, a nod to the NBC logo. “Lorne Michaels told me to wear this ’cause he wanted me to shake my tail feather,” she said, miming the action to audience applause.
During Parton’s 1989 SNL appearance, viewers enjoyed watching sketches like “Mountain Stories,” “Food Emporium,” and “Oil Spill Cleanup.” Naturally, being such a beloved star, the artist and her episode were a hit.
Despite her thriving career, Parton has never returned to the stage. But in 2022, she addressed the experience hosted. She co-hosted Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party, where she interacted with SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels. During their chat, Parton expressed her reservations.
Dolly Parton says her 1989 ‘SNL’ appearance ‘almost killed me’
Parton certainly stays busy. While promoting her new products for Duncan Hines, she told E! News about her conversation with Michaels. She says they talked about the possibility of her appearing on SNL again. But she’s not totally on board with pulling double duty.
“When I was on that before, I was hosting, I was a musical guest, and I was in the skits, and it about killed me,” she said. Indeed, being both the host and the musical guest is a daunting task. Numerous others have attempted it, with Parton sharing that honor with the likes Elton John, Nick Jonas, and naturally, Cyrus.
If she is to return to Saturday Night Live, Parton would do it differently. “I’ll have to pull back a little bit, but I’d love to be back on it at some point,” she shared.
Dolly Parton’s upcoming album ‘Rock Star’
Parton may be in her 70s. But the country singer has absolutely no plans to slow down or stop anytime soon. In fact, it is quite the opposite. In December 2022, she announced her upcoming album, Rock Star. The record shows her stepping away from her country roots to fully embrace her rock sound.
In an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon (via Vulture) Parton revealed she’ll be tackling covers of songs like Prince’s “Purple Rain,” Lynard Skynard’s “Free Bird,” Led Zepplin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” and the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”
Additionally, the singer plans to include plenty of collaborations. Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Pink are just a few of the impressive and prestigious artists Parton invited in for her exciting and newest album. It is safe to say that Parton’s fans and followers are looking forward to the release of Rock Star and, fingers-crossed, for the star to return to Saturday Night Live.
