The singers reimagined Benatar’s rock classic for the country singer’s 2023 ‘Rockstar’ album
Credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty; Jason Kempin/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Pat Benatar dedicated a “Heartbreaker” performance to Dolly Parton
- The pair re-imagined the rock song as a duet for the country singer’s 2023 Rockstar album
- Parton died from cancer at age 80 on Aug. 25
Pat Benatar remembered the late Dolly Parton with a musical tribute.
Performing during the second night of the One805LIVE! event at Kevin Costner‘s oceanfront estate on Saturday, Sept. 26, the 73-year-old music icon honored the late country singer, who died at age 80 on Aug. 25, by dedicating her song “Heartbreaker” to her “sweet friend.” (The event brought together musical artists in support of Santa Barbara County’s first responders.)
“Our last project that we did together was this song together as a whole combo,” Benatar said while introducing the song she and Parton re-imagined together as a duet for the country singer’s 2023 Rockstar album.
“This is the song that started it all,” she added, referring to the tune from her 1979 LP, In the Heat of the Night.
In addition to collaborating with Benatar and her husband, Neil Giraldo, Parton’s rock album featured other collaborations with Elton John, Stevie Nicks, Sting, Pink, Brandi Carlile and more rock legends.
Speaking with NPR at the time, Parton told the outlet she lined the collabs up in a simple way. “I just sent them a love note through their managers,” she said.
“And all the people I reached out to said, ‘Yes, we’d love to,’ and I was very honored and very proud and very humbled by that,” added Parton.
Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Speaking to ABC News in November 2023, Benatar said she thought “Dolly was born to rock.”
“It doesn’t matter what avenue, which genre of music she chose to do, she always rocked at what she did,” the rocker continued of Parton, who made a name for herself in country music. “She walked so we could fly. That’s where it starts, before us, because that was her alone by herself just figuring it out and just doing it.”
“I’m happy to have finally done something together,” Benatar added.
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After meeting Parton for the first time at the 37th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2022, during which both she and Benatar were inducted, Giraldo described the Queen of Country Music as a “very sweet, darling person.”
“Not only is she an incredible talent, she’s the sweetest thing you’re ever going to want to meet,” he said. “You just wanted to have her around, [like], ‘Hey, come over for dinner, Dolly. Lets hang out for a while.’ It’s just incredible sweetness, sweet as can be.”
After Parton died following what reps for the star confirmed was a “brief battle with cancer,” Benatar and Giraldo paid tribute to the late singer on social media.
“A sad day for everyone who knew and loved Dolly. Which is pretty much everybody,” they wrote. “A dear friend, an Earth Angel and an inimitable soul who also wrote songs and sang.”
“The world will be a little less bright today, but Heaven will be rockin’,” the couple added. “Rest in Peace.”
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