Thanksgiving is a time synonymous with food, family, and football – and the elaborate halftime show that comes with the big game. Just this week, country legend Dolly Parton announced that she will be the star act for this year’s halftime performance on Thursday, November 23.
At 77, Parton has no intentions of slowing down. She began her career in ’56 and has proceeded to transcend time and genres of music. This upcoming show represents a significant milestone for Parton, who actually turned down a similar opportunity almost a decade ago.
Dolly Parton has exciting things in store for the 2023 Thanksgiving halftime show
Can’t wait to see everyone at the @SalvationArmyUS Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show during the @DallasCowboys game. Tune in to @CBSSports November 23, Thanksgiving Day, at 3:30 P.M. CST for a performance that will rock 🎸 pic.twitter.com/Tw1KuYJeFM
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) October 16, 2023
On October 16, Parton took to social media to confirm news of her upcoming halftime performance with her fans. “Can’t wait to see everyone at the @SalvationArmyUS Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show during the @DallasCowboys game,” she revealed. “Tune in to @CBSSports November 23, Thanksgiving Day, at 3:30 P.M. CST for a performance that will rock.” Of course, in the video, Parton is decked out in Cowboys gear as, all the while, cheerleaders add rhinestones to just about every item in the vicinity.
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Parton elaborated further on her halftime show plans during an interview with CBS Mornings. “We’re going to do some stuff that everybody can sing along to,” she teased. “They’ll know the songs I’m doing. … I want people to be surprised and enjoy it.”
A long time coming
NFL SCHEDULE LEAK
Commanders at Cowboys – Week 12 Thanksgiving (Nov 23) pic.twitter.com/JSf7aKHeBU
— NFL Schedule Update (@NerdingonNFL) May 11, 2023
Parton had actually been invited to perform during the 2015 Super Bowl halftime show but refused. During that occasion, Parton would not have headlined the event as a solo act, but rather had been invited by Katy Perry, the main star of the show who very much wanted to perform alongside the “Jolene” singer.
Parton ended up staying that Super Bowl Sunday at home watching the game from the comfort of her couch with her husband Carl Dean. But, “I would have done it, because I love Katy Perry,” said Parton in a GQ interview in which she went undercover to answer questions. “At the time, my husband was not doing good. He was kind of puny and I couldn’t leave him, so I couldn’t do it.”
The match will kick off Thanksgiving Thursday at 4:30 p.m., hosted by CBS, and sees the Washington Commanders pitted against the Dallas Cowboys at the A&T Stadium. These Thanksgiving matches attract a lot of viewers, with the match between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys drawing 42 million households tuning in live.
What song do you most hope to hear from Parton that day?