When it comes to Beyoncé‘s exclusion from the 2024 CMA Awards nominees list, Dolly Parton can’t help but wonder whether the awards show is simply offering preference to the artists who do country music full-time.
“I guess probably, the country music field, they probably thought, ‘Well, we can’t really leave out some of the ones who spend their whole life doing that,'” Parton theorized when asked about the shut-out during an interview with Variety.
The country legend was in that interview to promote Good Lookin’ Cookin’, the cookbook she co-authored with her sister Rachel Parton George, along with the book’s accompanying line of Home Chef meals.
But she also spoke to two musical collaborations she’s been a part of this year: Her reimagined “Jolene” on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, and her duet with Post Malone, “Have the Heart,” which is featured on his first-ever full country project, F-1 Trillion.
Though both stars came into country music from out-of-genre careers, Parton stressed that their moves into the format made sense.
“[Beyoncé]’s a country girl in Texas and Louisiana, so she grew up with that base. It wasn’t like she just appeared out of nowhere,” she pointed out. “Post Malone has loved country music his whole life…I thought both those albums were great.”
Though Cowboy Carter didn’t receive any nominations at this year’s CMA Awards — despite being eligible for categories like Album of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Single of the Year — Parton says that doesn’t take away from the project’s impact.
“It was a wonderful album. She can be very, very proud of, and I think everybody in country music welcomed her and thought that, that was good,” she goes on to say. “So I don’t think it was a matter of shutting out, like, doing that on purpose. I think it was just more of what the country charts and the country artists were doing, that do that all the time, not just a specialty album.”
Read More: 2024 CMA Awards — The Biggest Snubs + Surprises
Post is a four-time nominee at the 2024 CMAs, and there’s a strong possibility that F-1 Trillion will bring him nominations next year, too, since the album was released after the cut-off for inclusion in the Album of the Year category for this year’s show. All four of his current nominations are for his smash hit with Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help.”
Even though Beyoncé might not be a nominated artist at this year’s CMA Awards, you never know: There could still be an opportunity for her to have an onstage moment at the show, maybe even with Parton herself. When asked if she’d ever perform “Jolene” as a duet with Beyoncé, the country legend was enthusiastic.
“Oh yeah,” she said. “I’m open to anything.”
The 2024 CMA Awards will air on ABC on Nov. 20.
2024 CMA Awards Nominations: Biggest Snubs + Surprises, Ranked
Country music fans should be a little angry today. Nominees for the 2024 CMA Awards were announced, and missing are several of the genre’s top stars, including two who’ve anchored the format for nearly 20 years.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes