Dolly Parton’s Husband of Nearly 60 Years, Carl Dean, Dies – Details

Dolly Parton is mourning the loss of her beloved husband, Carl Dean, who passed away at the age of 82 in Nashville on March 3, 2025.

After nearly 60 years of marriage, Parton has said goodbye to her longtime love, Dean. The singer shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram. In her emotional statement, Parton reflected on their decades together, “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”

Dean, known for his low-key nature despite his wife’s worldwide fame, will be laid to rest in a private ceremony attended only by immediate family. He is survived by Parton and his siblings, Sandra and Donnie.

The family, who has not shared Dean’s cause of death, has requested privacy during this difficult time as they grieve the loss of a man who remained a steadfast presence in Parton’s life since their wedding in 1966.

The couple had met two years earlier in Nashville. Parton crossed paths with Dean on her very first day in town. She had just arrived in Nashville to stay with her Uncle Bill, who had moved there two weeks earlier.

While helping out by babysitting his son, she took a trip to a local laundromat, the Wishy‐Washy, to wash the clothes she had brought with her. As she walked down the street, taking in her new surroundings, a man called out to her.

Coming from a small town, she was used to greeting everyone and so, she waved back. That man turned out to be Dean. The singer was 18 when they met and Dean was 21. “I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me). He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about,” noted Parton.

Although they had a friendly exchange, Dolly Parton initially refused to go out with him, sticking to the lessons she had been taught about safety. Instead, she invited him to visit her uncle’s house while she babysat. He took her up on the offer and came by every day that week, spending time with her on the porch. She didn’t even allow him inside the house.

Eventually, when her aunt had a day off and could watch the baby, she finally agreed to go somewhere with Dean. “He drove me straight to his folks’ house and introduced me to his mother and daddy. Cause he said he knew right the minute he saw me that that’s the one he wanted,” Parton gushed.

They got married on Memorial Day 1966 in Ringgold, Georgia when Parton was 20 and Dean was 23. The small and private ceremony was attended by Parton’s mother, Avie Lee Parton, the preacher of the ceremony, and his wife.

Over the years, Parton has spoken about her marriage to Dean, including how it lasted decades. She credited the success of her long-lasting marriage to the differences between her and Dean, noting that their opposite personalities kept things exciting.

Parton described Dean as a loner, a trait that made their marriage work despite her demanding career. Their home was always bustling, with five of her younger siblings living with them, creating an atmosphere she likened to a busy depot.

Given his loner trait, Dean didn’t mind when she traveled for work, especially since she often took most of the kids with her. Their arrangement suited them both as she thrived on being on the move, and he appreciated the space. The time apart only added to the excitement whenever they reunited.

Furthermore, due to his love for privacy, people speculated that Parton’s husband was imaginary. She addressed this long-standing speculation, attributing the rumors to his deliberate avoidance of the spotlight.

She explained that Dean preferred a quiet, private life and had no interest in public attention. According to her, he knew that stepping into the public eye would mean sacrificing his peace, and he had no desire for that kind of scrutiny.

“I’ve always respected and appreciated that in him and I’ve always tried to keep him out of the limelight as much as I can. He said, ‘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 do and we have,” Parton explained.

The “Let It Be” crooner also described Dean as a kind and dependable man who constantly surprised her, making their relationship both fun and enduring. “He’s a deep person, but he has a great and warped sense of humor. He makes me laugh and entertains me. He’s very secure within himself,” shared Parton.

The “Wildflowers” crooner also divulged what she and Dean loved to do for fun. The pair enjoyed simple pleasures together, often taking short trips in their RV where they could relax and unwind. Parton loved reading, cooking, and spending quiet time with her husband, embracing a laid-back routine.

While Dean preferred staying close to home, appreciating his independence, Parton was the opposite as she is always eager to explore and stay busy. Their differences, she noted, balanced their relationship and contributed to its lasting strength.

“But when we’re together, we have enough things in common that it works. We love the simple life. We can be calm and just have a good time,” she revealed.

Unlike many in the music industry, Parton always kept her marriage separate from her career. She divulged that she hadn’t planned on getting married or meeting someone special, but love had other plans. From the start, Dean recognized that music was her calling, something she had been determined to pursue since childhood.

No matter the circumstances, she was committed to making it in Nashville. While she acknowledged that she could step away from music if Dean ever needed her due to illness, it was a decision she would make on her own, not because someone pressured her to quit.

Throughout their marriage, he never asked her to give up her career, allowing her to chase her dreams without interference. Parton had said, “He’s proud of me, but he’s not necessarily a fan. He don’t particularly like to hear me sing.”

Dean also never paid attention to industry gossip, secure in the love he and Parton shared. One such rumor emerged from her long-running professional partnership with Porter Wagoner. By the time Parton began working with Wagoner, she and Dean were already married.

Over the years, she toured with Wagoner, recorded music, co-wrote songs, and appeared alongside him on television. Their collaboration lasted seven years, and even after she moved on, Wagoner continued to produce and arrange her music. They also co-owned a music publishing company, Owepar.

Their partnership was undeniably beneficial to both. Parton’s prolific songwriting reignited Wagoner’s interest in writing music after an 18-year break. In contrast, his established platform gave Parton the exposure that helped propel her career forward.

Hence, their dynamic was clear, Wagoner profited from her songs, just as she gained from his industry influence. Beyond music, he gifted her with extravagant presents, including multiple diamond rings, which she wore on her fingers.

Most of the rings she wears are from Wagoner except her wedding ring. Over time, speculation arose about their relationship. “They made it sound like he was my lover, my sugar daddy. But time takes care of things like that, and my husband always knew,” Parton noted, emphasizing that Dean never wavered in his trust.

As much as Carl Dean stayed away from the limelight and industry rumors, he was his wife’s muse. Parton drew inspiration for “Jolene” from a real-life experience involving a red-haired bank teller who took a noticeable interest in her husband.

She recalled how the teller’s admiration formed lighthearted moments between her and Dean, as he enjoyed the extra attention during his visits to the bank.

“It was kinda like a running joke between us — when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one,” the singer said.

When Parton released “Jolene” in 1973, it became one of her first hit singles. As much as its story was inspired by her husband, the song’s name originated from Parton’s encounter with a young fan. The singer landed on the name during an autograph session after a television show performance in the late 1960s.

A young girl with striking red hair, green eyes, and fair skin caught her attention. When she introduced herself as Jolene, Parton was immediately drawn to the name. “I said, ‘Jolene. Jolene. Jolene. Jolene.’ I said, ‘That is pretty. That sounds like a song. I’m going to write a song about that,'” she remembered.

All in all, Parton and Dean built a life that suited them both. While she thrived in the spotlight, he found comfort in staying out of it, offering unwavering support from behind the scenes.

Their bond endured for decades, proving that love doesn’t need an audience. Dean was last seen publicly in December 2019 in Brentwood, Tennessee, more than five years before his passing. Now, those who knew and loved him grieve his loss.