Rob Halford recalls meeting Dolly Parton at Rock Hall

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford described how he met Dolly Parton during the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, when Parton invited inductees and hosts to sing "Jolene" on stage and asked Halford about his beard.

Parton was inducted into the Hall, while Judas Priest received a special Musical Excellence Award; Halford said the moment led to Parton reaching out afterward to invite him to contribute to her 2023 rock album Rockstar.

“Somehow, instinctively, I knew we were going to meet,” Rob explained to Metal Hammer.

Halford said he connected the encounter to a family story about a clairvoyant relative and described receiving emails in the days that followed, including Parton’s request for him to sing lines on "Jolene".

“I love these! This is gonna be great!” Rob said, recalling Parton’s reaction on a speakerphone call.

He said Parton later worked with him on the track "Bygones" on Rockstar, with Halford recording his vocals separately and sending demos to her for her review.

“Send me the files! Send me the files!” Rob said.

Halford said Parton sent back approval immediately when he provided the files.

“She goes, ‘I love your beard!’” Rob exclaimed, describing Parton’s onstage reaction.

He recalled Parton cleaning or touching his facial hair during their interaction and saying it felt surreal to meet a living legend at the ceremony.

“So I sent her the files and she calls back and goes, ‘I love these! This is gonna be great!’” Rob said to Metal Hammer.

Halford also told NME in 2024 that after he heard the "Bygones" demo, he believed Parton understood exactly what she was doing and framed the song as “Rob from Priest” combined with Parton’s rock direction.

“As soon as I heard the demo I was all in,” he said, speaking with NME in 2024.

He added that the track offered him a rare chance to collaborate with Parton, and that the “Bygones” idea felt both real and uniquely suited to both artists’ styles.