With over 130 million people watching the Super Bowl Halftime Show, getting the chance to headline the massive event has become a major milestone for artists. Over the years, stars such as Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Shania Twain, U2, and many others have had the opportunity to perform on one of the biggest stages in the world. For any star who receives an invitation, the thought of declining seems almost insane. But for country music icon Dolly Parton, she recalled doing just that. And if that wasn’t shocking, she declined more than once.
Given the stardom surrounding Parton, it only made sense that the NFL would call on her to helm the Super Bowl Halftime Show. But while they reached out to the singer on multiple occasions, she insisted she kept turning down the invitation. “I’ve been offered that many times. I couldn’t do it because of other things, or I just didn’t think I was big enough to do it — to do that big of a production.”
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The idea of Parton not being “big enough” for the Super Bowl was completely absurd. Throughout her career, the singer sold over 100 million albums, won countless awards, and even starred in films like Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk. Still, the singer didn’t see herself as the best fit for the NFL.
Dolly Parton Could Perform At The Super Bowl Thanks To Jelly Roll
Diving deeper into her decision to deny the NFL, Parton claimed it centered around the size of the production. “When you think about those shows, those are big, big productions. I’ve never done anything with that big of a production. I don’t know if I could have. I think at the time that’s what I was thinking.”
While turning them down in the past, Parton might have another chance to take the field thanks to Jelly Roll.
Ahead of the Grammy Awards, Entertainment Weekly asked Jelly Roll about his dream Super Bowl Halftime Show. Not missing the chance to promote country music, he said, “I want to see Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton. I would love to see some new singers come in, and that’s my dream.” Jelly Roll was sure to add in Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, and HARDY.
Not forgetting himself, Jelly Roll continued, “Maybe they just let me do a little 20 or 30 seconds in it.”
If Jelly Roll gets his wish, the Super Bowl could one day turn into country music’s biggest night – and maybe, just maybe, include Parton at the center of it all. But Super Bowl or not, Parton’s career has already outshone most halftime shows.
(Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
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