Dolly Parton is mourning the loss of her beloved husband, Carl Thomas Dean, who has passed away at the age of 82. The country music legend, 79, announced the devastating news on Monday, reflecting on their nearly 60-year love story in an emotional statement. In a heartfelt Instagram post, the Jolene singer shared that Carl passed away in Nashville on March 3rd. She expressed deep gratitude for the “many wonderful years” they spent together and thanked fans for their prayers and sympathy during this difficult time. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years,” Dolly wrote. “Carl and I had a beautiful life together, and I will cherish every moment. Thank you for your prayers and support.” Carl is survived by his siblings, Sandra and Donnie, and will be laid to rest in a private ceremony attended by immediate family.
Dolly and Carl’s love story began in 1964, when they met at a laundromat in Nashville. At just 18 years old, Dolly had just moved to the city to pursue her dreams. Carl, a quiet and reserved man who once ran a road-paving business, was instantly captivated. “He pulled over to the side, and we started talking,” Dolly recalled in her documentary Dolly Parton: In Her Own Words. “Two years later, we were married.” The couple tied the knot in 1966 in a small, private ceremony—a testament to Carl’s lifelong aversion to the spotlight. Despite being married to one of the most famous women in the world, Carl rarely made public appearances, preferring to support Dolly from behind the scenes.
Unlike his wife, Carl had zero interest in fame. In a rare revelation, Dolly once shared that she convinced Carl to attend an awards show in 1967, where she won BMI Song of the Year. However, after that one event, he was done. “He told me, ‘I wish you the best, but don’t ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things because I ain’t going,’” Dolly laughed in a past interview. And he never did. Despite this, Dolly always spoke of Carl with deep admiration and humor, emphasizing how their differences kept their marriage strong. “He’s quiet and I’m loud, and we just work. We have a lot of fun,” she once said. Their love endured the pressures of fame, with Carl always choosing her over the industry. “He once told me, ‘I didn’t choose this world, I chose you. And you chose that world. But we can keep our lives separate and together.’ And we did,” Dolly shared.
Carl’s charm once sparked a playful jealousy-fueled inspiration behind one of Dolly’s biggest hits. She revealed that Jolene was partially based on a bank teller who had taken a liking to Carl. “She got this terrible crush on my husband. And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention,” Dolly said. The playful joke between them became one of the most iconic country songs of all time. Years later, she quipped at Glastonbury Festival, “I wrote that song when Carl was spending a little too much time with Jolene… I put a stop to that real quick!”
Dolly never took her marriage for granted, always making an effort to keep the spark alive despite their different lifestyles. In 2022, she shared that she always dressed up for Carl, even at home. “The whole world sees me all glammed up, and I’m not going to go home and flop on him,” she joked. “Nobody wants to make out with a slouch!” Even after six decades of marriage, their romance never faded. “We have an open relationship… but not in the way people think,” Dolly once said. “We flirt and joke, but Carl knows I’ll always come home to him.” Carl may have avoided the limelight, but he was Dolly’s greatest love—and the man behind her most personal songs.
As the country music world mourns alongside Dolly, one thing is certain: Carl may be gone, but his love and laughter will forever live in the heart of the woman he cherished. Dolly ended her tribute with the words: “He can rest now. But I will carry him with me always.”
