Carl Dean, the husband of country music legend Dolly Parton, passed away on March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82, according to an official statement. His funeral will be a private gathering attended only by close family members. He is survived by his siblings, Sandra and Donnie.
During an interview with ABC News in November 2023, a framed picture of Parton and Dean was prominently displayed on a table.
The statement also included a heartfelt message from Parton: “Carl and I shared many incredible years together. No words can truly capture the depth of our love over the past six decades.”
She went on to express her gratitude, saying, “Thank you for your prayers and kind thoughts.”
Her note concluded with a request for privacy during this challenging time.
Throughout their marriage, Parton and Dean maintained a low profile, keeping their relationship largely out of the public eye.
The couple wed in 1966, and despite Parton’s decades-long success in the music industry, Dean remained away from the spotlight.
However, Parton frequently spoke about her deep affection for him. She once shared that Dean’s love for rock ‘n’ roll influenced the creation of her Rockstar album.
“Many of these songs were chosen with Carl in mind because he has a great ear for music,” she told Good Morning America in 2023.
In 2022, Parton revealed the secret to their lasting marriage.
“People often ask me how we’ve stayed together for so long, and I tell them: we just keep going,” she said. “We don’t spend every moment together since he’s not part of the entertainment world, so we have different interests. But at the same time, we share things we love to do as a couple.”
She added, “It just felt like fate. He was the one I was meant to be with, and the same goes for him.”
Parton also credited humor as a key element of their relationship.
“We both have a quirky sense of humor,” she said. “Honestly, laughter is one of the best things in a marriage. Even when challenges arise, a good sense of humor can help you navigate through them. If you say something you regret, a little wit can go a long way in smoothing things over.”