Dolly Parton's Beloved Husband Carl Dean Passes Away at 82

The couple's nearly 60-year relationship was marked by love, mystery, and inspiration in Parton’s music.

Carl Dean, the cherished husband of country music star Dolly Parton, passed away on Monday at the age of 82 in Nashville, Tennessee. Parton publicly shared her grief through a heartfelt message on social media. "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 expressed.

Dolly Parton first encountered Dean, a private individual who preferred to stay away from the spotlight, at a laundromat on her very first day in Nashville, at just 18 years old. Recalling their meeting, Parton remarked, "I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me). He seemed genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about." Only two years later, on May 30, 1966, they wed in an intimate ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia.

While Dean operated an asphalt-paving business in Nashville, his influence permeated Parton's music. One of the most significant impacts was seen through her 1973 classic hit "Jolene," inspired by a bank teller who developed a crush on Dean, leading to a humorous yet innocent tale about their relationship. In 2008, Parton humorously recounted how Dean's frequent visits to the bank became a topic of lighthearted conversation between them.

Despite often being the subject of speculation, including rumors questioning his existence, Parton joyfully quipped in 1984 about Dean being a fictional character she created for protection against unwanted attention. "A lot of people say there's no Carl Dean, that he's just somebody I made up to keep other people off me," she joked.

The couple chose not to have children and is survived by Dean’s siblings, Sandra and Donnie, as noted in Parton's touching statement.