Dolly Parton’s husband breaks the silence at age 82

Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, has died. He was 82.

A note was shared on Parton’s social media about the news on Monday.

“Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82,” the statement said. “He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He was survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.”

A framed photo of Dolly Parton and her husband Carl Dean stands on a table top while Parton was interviewed by ABC News in Nov. 2023.

ABC News

A quote from Parton was also included. It read, “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,” she added.

Parton’s note ended with, “The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time.”

Parton and Dean had kept their marriage private over the years.

The duo tied the knot in 1966. In their time together, Dean has typically stayed out of the spotlight despite Parton’s long career in the music industry.

However, Parton always spoke about the love she has for him. She also said that Dean’s appreciation for rock ‘n’ roll played a factor in the making of her “Rockstar” album.

“Most of these songs I chose because of Carl, and because I knew they were good songs, ’cause he knows good music,” she told “GMA” in 2023. “He does.”

Dolly Parton performs during an event, Aug. 14, 2023, in Overland Park, Kan.

Charlie Riedel/AP

In 2022, Parton shared the key ingredients to hers and Dean’s long lasting marriage.

“I like it when people say, ‘How did it last so long?’ I say, ‘It’s stay going,’” Parton said. “You know, there’s a lot to be said about that. So, we’re not in each other’s face all the time. He’s not in the business so we have different interests, but yet we have the things we love to do together.”

“So it was meant to be, I think. He was the one I was supposed to have and vice versa,” she added.

She also said a sense of humor helped too.

“We both have a warped sense of humor,” she said. “And I think humor, honestly, is one of the best things when you’re married like that. Even if you have a problem, if you have a great sense of humor, if you say something you can’t take back [you] usually have some crazy way of getting out of it.”

Dolly Parton’s husband of almost six decades, Carl Dean, has died aged 82.

The country idol announced Dean’s death in an Instagram post on Monday night. He died in his native Nashville, Tennessee.

“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” Parton, 79, said. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”

Dean avoided the limelight

Dean, a businessman, chose to remain out of the spotlight as his wife built her legendary career in the music industry. His support from behind the scenes was a dynamic that Parton always insisted helped to strengthen their relationship.

In fact at points his preference for privacy even raised speculation among fans that he did not exist. “A lot of people