Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean had one of the most enduring love stories in the spotlight, despite their desire for privacy. The couple, who had been together for over 50 years,

A while back, when she was promoting her book about her distinct style, Dolly Parton was asked if her husband Carl Dean had a favorite outfit of hers. Parton got a dreamy smile on her face as she remembered.

Country music legend Dolly Parton doesn’t shy away from sharing her life. As her name graces her sprawling entertainment ventures, her experiences have fueled her songwriting in hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” and serve as the basis of her forthcoming musical,

The country singer mourned the 82-year-old in a statement Thursday, writing via Instagram that "words can't do justice" to their bond.

Dolly Parton has sung for decades with her loyal husband Carl Dean by her side. The two met in the early 1960s and it was love at first sight. The two met on Dolly’s first day in Nashville, Tennessee in 1964 at the Wishy-Washy Laundromat.

Parton and Dean were married on May 30, 1966 in Ringhold, Georgia, with Parton’s mother in attendance, two years after they began dating, which began when she was 18. Dean was rarely sighted with her even in the early years of their marriage, before she became a country-pop and music/screen crossover sensation.

The private country music legend celebrated the life of her late husband Carl Dean during a sneak peek of Dollywood's 40th anniversary in Tennessee.

It’s a hole in my heart,” Dolly Parton said of losing her husband. But she cherishes the funny Dollywood memories he left behind.

Dolly Parton has made her first public appearance since her husband, Carl Dean, died at the age of 82. The country icon turned up in person at the 2025 opening of Dollywood on Friday (March 14), putting aside her personal troubles to smile and wave at fans who had traveled from all over the country to be there.