Entertainment
Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, Dies at 82
Carl Dean, the husband of country music legend Dolly Parton, has passed away at the age of 82 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Parton confirmed his death in a heartfelt statement on social media, saying, “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years.”
Dean, who largely stayed out of the public eye, was married to Parton for nearly six decades. The couple first met outside a Nashville laundromat in 1964, when Parton was 18 and Dean was 21. They tied the knot in a private ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia, in 1966.
Although Dean avoided the spotlight, he was a key figure in Parton’s life and career, even inspiring her hit song Jolene. He focused on his asphalt-paving business while supporting his wife’s rise to superstardom.
Dean is survived by Parton and his siblings, Sandra and Donnie. A private family ceremony will be held in his honor.