Rob Halford of Judas Priest discusses meeting Dolly Parton at the Rock and Roll HOF Induction Ceremony

Hi Everyone, I came across this awesome article recently and wanted to share it with you.  Rob Halford, of Judas Priest was interviewed by blabbermouth.net about his experience at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and talks about his excitement of 'fanboying' Dolly Parton.  It's an interesting read and a bit wild considering the two artists are pretty far apart in terms of style, substance and abilities.  The common thread:  MUSIC!  That, and everyone loves Dolly Parton!

Take it away, blabbermouth.net...

ROB HALFORD On Sharing Microphone With DOLLY PARTON At ROCK HALL:  'I May Have Overstepped My Mark'

February 25, 2023

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford joined country legend Dolly Parton on stage last November at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony to perform her classic song "Jolene". Also appearing with them as part of a "super jam" performance were some of the other Rock Hall inductees, including Pat Benatar, Annie Lennox and DURAN DURAN's Simon Le Bon.

Speaking to the SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard host Mark Strigl about what it was like to briefly share the microphone with Dolly, Rob said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I did the gay hustle and [thought], 'I've gotta get close to Dolly.' [Laughs] I may have overstepped my mark, but I was just gushing; I was a fanboy. I was kind of cringey at the end.

"I still haven't seen it — I still haven't seen it — but people say it was great, and that's all that matters.

"To be so close to her and to feel the love that this lady has — she's just this walking beacon of love and happiness and joy that she spreads," Halford continued. "And the talent that she has; when you think about the thousands and thousands of songs that she's written. And her story… There's a great Netflix documentary called 'Here I Am', and I watched that the other night. And where she came from and how she persevered, and she went through a moment where she really didn't know if things were gonna be able to continue, just through the way that rock and roll works, and she did. She's the epitome of staying the course and believing in yourself and believing the people around you and getting through these difficulties and challenges and rising above them and becoming a success all over again. She was always a success, but in the way that she can kind of fade in and out of things in rock and roll. She stuck to it. And wow. She's roaring right now. She's got this new rock album coming out, which we're all thrilled to know about.

"So, yeah, for me to have that opportunity just to sing a couple of those famous lines from 'Jolene'… It was a lot of stuff, you know," Rob added. "When you think about her and you think about me and where we are in our lives and the generations that we're from and the people that we kind of represent, if that's the right way to use it. It was just really very, very special. So, that moment, and all the other things that were flying around the room made for probably what they're saying is one of the most memorable and remarkable Rock And Roll Hall Of Fames that have happened thus far."

Halford previously talked about his performance with Dolly last November in an interview with San Antonio Current. At the time he said: "I knew that there was going to be an opportunity a few weeks before the event. Again, it was just kind of floating around that she was going to do this song at the end of the show and bring all of her friends onstage with her. And I didn't realize that we were going to be so connected. I sang one chorus with Dolly Parton and the world's gone nuts. And I can appreciate that now. I didn't understand it at first. And now these days have gone by, and people are going, 'Where's the album with Dolly and The Metal God?'

 

"I'll tell you something about her: she's been here forever, a bit like Her Majesty the Queen, who left us recently. What I mean by that is when Dolly walks into the room, you feel this regal presence. She's just got this aura about her personality. She's a genuinely beautiful light of love and caring and philanthropy and humanity. It's all real, man. It's all very real. There are some people who are very different on and off stage. Well, no, not with Dolly. That's Dolly's thing. So, for me to have that opportunity, I was just blessed and honored and thrilled. I know her work because I've lived as long as Dolly, and I was aware of Dolly as a young person growing up and seeing her on British television. She'd come over and do these British variety shows. And here I am, this kid from a public housing estate in the West Midlands in England, and I'm standing next to Dolly fucking Parton, who is now a rock chick."

Back in February 2022, when PRIEST's third nomination for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was announced, Halford told Billboard that, "I must do a duet with Dolly Parton! … If Lionel [Richie] and PRIEST get in, I think we'll both be dancing on the ceiling together."

Halford had previously revealed he is a huge fan of Dolly, and had planned to take a photo with her at the ceremony.

"I'm going to force her to, even if she doesn't know who I am," he told Metal Crypt last June. "I'm going to see what table she is sitting at. I'm just going to run to the table and do the devil's horns thing. Tongue out, horns up, behind Dolly Parton's head. It's the only way to do it. I can't smile sweetly. I've got to stick my tongue out and my horns up."

Halford told Rolling Stone earlier last year that he had no issues with Dolly being inducted into the Rock Hall.

"If you look at everyone in the Hall, it makes perfect sense to have Dolly Parton in there," he said. "I think it's just this 'rock and roll' thing. Should it be called the Music Hall Of Fame? I don't know. It started out with rock and roll, and roll and roll is everything and anything. It's just a phraseology."

Rob also talked about the possibility of sharing the stage with Dolly at the end of the night, saying: "I was onstage last weekend with Larry The Cable Guy! [Laughs] It was at Alice Cooper's blast for his great institution the Solid Rock Foundation. If I could stand alongside my buddy Larry and sing 'roll, baby, roll' [from THE DOORS' 'Roadhouse Blues'], I can certainly stand next to Dolly Parton on my left and Lionel Richie on my right."

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which honored Eminem, Parton, DURAN DURAN, Richie, Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

The JUDAS PRIEST members that got inducted include current members Halford, Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members Downing, Binks and late drummer Dave Holland.

 

Earlier in the evening, Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis were joined by Binks, Downing and current guitarist Richie Faulkner for three-song medley consisting of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".

Watch the YouTube video included in the article, below: 

Dollywood's HeartSong Lodge & Resort construction photo-update

Hi Everyone, Dollywood has released a few pictures of the new HeartSong Lodge & Resort that's currently under construction behind the DreamMore Resort at Dollywood.

Olivia Newton-John and Dolly reimagine Jolene!

Hi Everyone,

I have been doing my best to cover all of the collaborations that Dolly has done with other artists for her Rock Star album, but this bit of musical news hits differently.

As I am sure you are aware, Olivia Newton-John passed away late in 2022 and as it turns out, she recorded her last song with Dolly Parton and it is a version of Jolene, that maybe you didn't know that you needed, but it is a hauntingly beautiful rendition.  Both of their angelic voices blend perfectly together, and I love the reworked ending, it's awesome!  Watch the YouTube video at the bottom of the article.

Some folks may not realize, or even remember that ONJ had a good run in Nashville recording several country songs in the 1970's, and an album in '75/'76.  "If You Love Me Let Me Know" and "Let Me Be There" were a couple of her country single hits.  She even won the CMA Femal Vocalist of the Year in 1974, beating out Legends like Dolly, Loretta, and Tanya in the category.  It was during her time in Nashville that she and Dolly struck a friendship.

Growing up in Nashville, I can vaguely remember a tiny bit about ONJ showing up around town for events and whatnot and making the local news.  

Here is what WATE-TV - Knoxville's ABC affiliate, had to say about Dolly and ONJ's duet of Jolene:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Singer and actress Olivia Newton-John’s duet with Dolly Parton, which was ultimately her final recording before her passing last year, was released to the public on Friday.

The two famed entertainers collaborated to reimagine Parton’s classic hit ‘Jolene’. A music video was released on YouTube and the song is now streaming on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora and other platforms.

In addition to her starring movie roles like Grease and Xandu, Newton-John was a four-time Grammy Award winner with 15 top-ten singles in her career. In 1974 she won the Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award and remains the only non-American born artist to win the award.

She previously released a Jolene cover on her 1976 album Come On Over.

The release comes roughly six months after her passing. Olivia Newton-John died on August 8, 2022 at the age of 73 from breast cancer.

“So sad to have lost my special friend Olivia Newton-John,” Parton said in a statement on social media following her death. “So happy that our lives crossed paths. I know her voice is singing beautifully with the angels.”

 

Dollywood's Sister Park, Silver Dollar City retires Fire In The Hole, which inspired Blazing Fury

I have some disappointing, but not unexpected news to share out of Dollywood's sister park, Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri.  They are closing their version of Blazing Fury, which is named Fire In The Hole at SDC.  

I've seen a lot of concerned posts on social media from Dollywood fans who have wondered out loud whether or not this would affect Blazing Fury in some way.  The answer is no, it will not affect Blazing Fury and I will share why I believe that is the case after I offer some details of the two rides.

The two roller coasters are nearly identical.  Both were built in-house in the 1970's by their respective Maintenance and Construction departments.  Fire In The Hole was built first and opened in 1972, then Blazing Fury opened in 1978.   The story that goes along with each ride is similar but customized for each location.  For example, Fire In The Hole's theme-story follows the tale of the town of Marmaros, an Ozarks hill town, and the fire stems from some vigilantes known as the Baldknobbers.  The theme-story with BF is (dramatic pause) vigilantes who set fire to a Smoky Mountain town!  So, similar story line, but no Baldknobbers at Dollywood.  I'm not sure who the vigilantes are in Blazing Fury, they are not a well-organized group like the Baldknobbers.

At some point, Fire In The Hole's layout was modified to the current layout, which matches Blazing Fury.  Both rides have trains that are powered by two 7.5 hp motors through the course, until gravity takes over for the three drops.  I think FITH has a couple of extra scenes that BF doesn't have, but overall, they are essentially the same ride.

So, Why is Blazing Fury safe from removal - for now?

Blazing Fury received a lot of love and attention after the 2014 season ended.  The splash-down finale found on both rides, was removed from Blazing Fury and the last approximately one-third or so of roller coaster track was replaced with I-beam track from Rocky Mountain Construction.  What prompted that work was that as each train passed through the water, it would then carry and drop more water along the rest of the layout, causing wet conditions that, of course, lead to rot and deterioration in a wooden environment.  When it opened in 2015 it was so much smoother and yes, the splash-down ending was cool, and I miss it.  If that's the small trade-off for preserving the ride, then so be it.  I think its safe to say that BF will be around for the foreseeable future.

There's little doubt that Fire In The Hole is/was suffering from these same circumstances and the decision has been made to close this attraction.  But, that's not the ending of the story!  It has not been officially announced yet, but construction is well underway of a 'sort of' replacement for Fire In The Hole.  SDC has commissioned Rocky Mountain Construction - the same group that replaced Blazing Fury's track - they are building a brand new indoor powered roller coaster at SDC.  The building itself is already up and some track has been installed, so it should be ready to open in 2024.  The park will probably wait until they're ready to start selling season passes for next year and at that time, they will release more details about the new ride.  At that point we'll know if it's themed to a burning town like FITH or it may have an entirely new story line.  I have a feeling it will be fire themed because this new building is located adjacent to Firemans' Landing - an area of the park that is themed to Fire Fighting.

So, the not-so-obvious-good news is that the park made an announcement about a beloved attraction closing, which really is great because it gives opportunities to say goodbye to the memories that were created by families for over 50 years.  Sometimes parks just close rides and remove them and never say anything, or very little, which is obviously harsh and a missed opportunity.  

Some Pictures of the two rides below.

Blazing Fury's opening year advertising - New Loom! New Ride!

This is the layout of Fire In The Hole.  You can see that the panel was edited after the layout of the ride was changed.  The yellow track on the right side is the station.

This is the same panel (pre-2014) at Blazing Fury.  Source: TPR

another portion of the pre-2014 Blazing Fury panel. Source: TPR

Blazing Fury's ''new'' 2015 panel, if you're interested. Lots of great pics at Source: flicker.com/invertalon

 

For more pics, check out Theme Park Review's older photo collections of both rides as well as this impressive Flickr collection.  Back stage areas are included in the collections.

• Fire In The Hole - HERE
• Blazing Fury - HERE
• Flickr pics of Blazing Fury - HERE

I mentioned in my very first blog post, my Welcome Post, about how change is a constant variable in amusement and theme parks and that rings true once again with this news from SDC.  These parks are, after all, for-profit businesses interweaved with personal experiences and nostalgic memories and it's hard to say goodbye to stuff like that which touches on so many different emotions.  I'm glad the park is choosing to say farewell with enough advance notice for folks to say goodbye on their terms instead of after the fact...and the park has something similar in the works to begin new traditions and memories, so this is the best possible way to send off a loved attraction.

What's Up at Dollywood's Splash Country in 2023? Let's Take a look!

• Hi Everyone, The Dollywood Blog has published an update from the off-season improvements that are going on at Splash Country.   Let’s check out Amber Davis’ post for the latest updates from SC!

• Source: The Dollywood Blog

Winter Work at Dollywood’s Splash Country

Written by Amber Davis

What happens at a water park in January and February? More than you might think.

Dollywood’s Splash Country has been closed since the day after Labor Day, and it won’t be long before you get to enjoy the many upgrade projects the team has been working on for the past several months.

Here are my favorite highlights:

More Shade

First, let’s talk about shade. We’re adding an additional 2500 square-feet of covered space to the wave pool deck! Each of these pavilions will be extended. See where the new posts are placed? This translates into more rows of chairs in the shade at each pavilion! This is a PREMIUM perk at a water park!

Slide Work

Water parks require a lot of maintenance. Every year, an attraction or two get some off-season attention. This year, Mountain Scream is getting the love. You may recall that this attraction has three slide options. Specifically, crews are replacing the runouts. So, those will be all new when you come back this year!

Atmosphere Upgrades

Dollywood’s Splash Country is one of the prettiest water parks you’ll find anywhere. Though a lot of credit goes to our landscaping team, we’re also blessed that our location is nestled into a mountain hollow. There’s lots of natural beauty. New paint certainly doesn’t hurt. Look for fresh touches to the waterfall at the entrance to the lazy river.

If you’ve ever renovated a bathroom, you may understand why this next update makes me giddy: the water park’s main restrooms at the front of the park got a major overhaul. From new (and brighter!) lighting to modern tile and fixtures, you’re going to want to stop in to check these out on your next visit.

There are always general construction and cleaning projects like replacing tired wood and rust mitigation. Right now, crews are hard at work on the deck at the bottom of Wild River Falls. You will even see a new fence around the seating area. It will resemble the fence along our bridges.

New

Other updates you may be interested in include additional food and drink locations—two more food trucks in addition to the one we already have. We’re focused on expediting wait times, so look for new processes that help you enjoy more time splashing and sliding.

If you don’t have a Two-Park Pass, you can buy one here or upgrade your current Season Pass for the cost of a One-Day water park ticket by calling 1-800-Dollywood. You also can visit any ticket window on your next trip. And, we still have Dining Passes available, so be sure to check that out for a free entrée and snack every time you visit Dollywood’s Splash Country!