Two country legends, together at last.
This Thursday, Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks are teaming up to host the 2023 ACM Awards, marking their first-ever collaboration after so many decades in the business between them.
ET Canada’s Britnee Blair asked why it took so long for them to work together, to which Parton said, “I don’t know why.”
“I don’t know,” Brooks agreed. “Because I can’t believe we’re collaborating either. Because, you know, Dolly’s Dolly, and she’s just, she’s so approachable. It’s Dolly. She’s untouchable. So it’s very sweet for her to allow me to get to be a part of this partnership.”
Parton joked, “Yeah, he’s just a nobody.“
“And I got to tell you, so far, what I’ve learned, she’s funny and I love her humour,” Brooks added. “So it’s right down my alley. It’s twisted sometimes a little bit bent, and it’s like, Oh, that’s perfect for me.“
Getting a bit more serious, Parton talked about their shared love for the music, and their mutual admiration.
“Actually, I don’t really know why that’s never happened, because we both love country music, but we’ve been at it for a long time, both of us. I’ve always loved his music. I’ve been a huge fan, seriously, for years. And it’s just one of those things that, I guess it never happened because it was supposed to happen now,” she said. “I was talking about, you know, how things are supposed to happen when they’re supposed to, so who knows where it might go from here? We may have duets. We may have we may start hosting all the shows.”
She continued, “But honestly, though, I really think there’s a purpose for everything. And I just think this is a good time in life. He feels a lot like I do. Even just like the song that I’m performing from my rock album is an anthem about lifting up the world and trying to heal the great divide. And he’s so much like that, his heart, man. So I really think that this was meant for a higher purpose than us just hosting the show. And even if it’s not, still gonna be fine.“
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Asked if hosting the awards might be lead to a musical collaboration, Parton said, “We were just talking that we’d never even done anything together, so who knows?”
“You know what I love about her?” Brooks said. “She just: No rules. There’s no script for her. ‘Today’s my day. I want to do this or do that.’ So I love that and I love to take the journey. I don’t have to be the guy leading. I can also be the guy that’s following too. So I really enjoy this collaboration.”
Parton told him, “Well, there’s no follow in here where I think we’re on the ground here.”
The 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards air May 11 at 8 p.m. ET.
