Dolly Parton, the Queen of Country, is shocked that fans still see her as a country star. Parton made the surprising admission after Billboard named her the "number one country artist of all time."
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"I do so many things, sometimes I wonder if I'm still considered a country artist," Parton said on "CBS Mornings" on Wednesday. "Although I'm a country girl... I've had the chance to do things like my rock album... movies... I wasn't sure."
Parton said that she didn't even know she was going to get the honor. But she said that she is "very proud and honored more than anything."
She continued, "I was surprised, but I was in company with Willie and Johnny Cash... Loretta Lynn and all those wonderful people."
Dolly Parton Was Shocked
Host Gayle King was surprised that Parton was surprised. King explained, "Why are you shocked and surprised? Honestly, at this stage in your [career]... You know you're a bada-- ... There is no other choice when it comes to that particular ranking."
Parton compared herself to Beyoncé, who took home the same honor in pop culture. However, Parton questioned whether Taylor Swift should have took home the honor.
"I think it's very well deserved, although Taylor Swift [who earned the second spot in the list] is a dear friend of mine... to me, it could've gone either way, but you just never know, because there are so many other great artists," she said.
Parton also reinforced her idea that she didn't care if Beyoncé made a country album. She supported the singer making the journey into country music.
"Well, I figured if I can do a rock album... others can do country music. I think if you're an artist, and you have a desire to cover... the whole spectrum of music and art, I really think you should have the opportunity to do that," Parton explained.
"I'm always welcoming any of the people that want to be country, and I take it as a great compliment to those people who want to be a part of our world. I know I want to be part of their world at times... I think it should be accepted as that."
