Dolly Parton teases ACM Awards performance and says it's her biggest live production ever
She will premiere her song 'World on Fire' at the ceremony
Last updated 11th May 2023
Speaking exclusively to Absolute Radio Country, Dolly Parton has teased her ACM Awards performance on Thursday night (11th May) and promised it’s her ‘biggest’ live production ever.
Country legends Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks will host the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards at the Ford Center at The Star in Texas on Thursday, with Dolly also among the live performers on the night.
Ahead of the ACM Awards, Dolly and Garth joined Absolute Radio Country’s Jennie Longdon for a chat during her show on Bank Holiday Monday.
Dolly told Jennie what to expect from her live performance, which will see her debut ‘World on Fire’, the lead single from her upcoming rock album ‘Rockstar’.
“(I’ll perform) a world exclusive of my first single from my rock and roll album,” Dolly told Jennie. “The album's called ‘Rockstar’, and it's a song about the times. To try and knock a little sense into our hearts and heads.
“It's just about what we can do to come together a little more, care a little more about each other and make this world a better place to live in before we just blow it all in pieces.
“(The song) is called ‘World On Fire’. We're going to be really doing a big production number. One of the biggest things I've ever done on stage - or THE biggest thing that I've ever done.”
Commenting on ‘Rockstar’, Dolly explained: “Well, I really kind of decided do a rock album because of being put in the Rock Roll Hall of Fame (in November 2022).
“But when I wrote songs for it and chose songs, I wanted to have a lot of them have some true meaning. And this one I just really felt (was good) to lead off the whole thing just to try to get people's attention if nothing else about what's going on and just to say: ‘we better shape up, liar liar the world’s on fire. What are we gonna do when it all burns down? But we still got time to turn it all around.’”
Dolly also confirmed that she will be gracing the UK next month during her promotional tour for ‘Rockstar.’
She said: “I'm coming in June to do a lot of TV things and do some press and just have some fun, maybe even go to Paris. I gotta make a big world splash with my rock album. I’m a rock star!”
You can watch Dolly and Garth’s full interview with Jennie right here:
The ACM Awards also boasts live performances from Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Jo Dee Messina, Carly Pearce, Jelly Roll, Cole Swindell, Keith Urban, The War and Treaty, Lainey Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman.
Viewers in the UK will be able to stream the entire ACM Awards ceremony on Amazon Prime on Thursday night.
Released on Friday 17th November 2023, Dolly Parton’s star-studded ‘Rockstar’ album features a whopping 30 tracks comprised of nine Dolly-penned originals and a smorgasbord of covers of rock classics.
Guests on the album include Chris Spapleton, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Ronnie McDowell, Elton John, Stevie Nicks, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Richie Sambora, Peter Frampton, Heart’s Ann Wilson, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx and John 5, Journey icon Steve Perry, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Blondie’s Debbie Harry, P!nk, Pat Benatar, Miley Cyrus, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Sting, Lizzo, Waddy Watchel and many more.