Rob Halford reveals the wholesome moment he met Pink: "she used to stencil the Judas Priest logo on her school notebook!"

(Image credit: Getty)

In the new issue of Metal Hammer magazine, guest-edited by the one and only Tenacious D, we speak to Judas Priest legend Rob Halford for an exclusive new interview about his life and career, and the wild night he had at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony last year when he ended up duetting with none other than Dolly Parton.

Speaking about his experiences on the night, during which Judas Priest were given a special Musical Excellence award, Halford reveals a wholesome encounter he had with pop superstars Pink and Sheryl Crow.

“Pink came up to me and said, ‘I need to tell you something’, and I was thinking, ‘Oh god, what have we done?’" he explains. "She said when she was in school, she and her friends used to stencil the Judas Priest logo on their notebooks! Then Sheryl Crow came up to me and she said, ‘I love your voice, it’s amazing!’ All of these things solidify the fact that your music can reach and connect with people you’d never expect.

“When I got the email saying Dolly [Parton] would like me to take part in Jolene, I thought it was a wind-up," he continues. "But it did happen, and I’ll say this: everything you know about that woman... it comes from such a remarkable, pure place. That night was amazing. There was Pat Benatar, who I’ve known forever; Simon LeBon, who I’d never met but soon became joined at the hip with because he’s another yam-yam [a nickname for people from Rob’s home region, the Black Country]; me, Sheryl Crow, Annie Lennox and Pink all bowing to this incredible figurehead who we all adore.

"It was a surreal and moving experience," Halford concludes. "For all the people who hate the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, I’ll say this: it facilitates these moments of love in the music world.”

Read more from Rob Halford in the new, Tenacious D guest-edited issue of Metal Hammer, out now. Order your copy here.

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.

With contributions from

Rich Hobson