Country music legend Dolly Parton has lost her ever dedicated husband of 60 years. Carl Thomas Dean passed away at the age of 82 on March 3, 2025 in Nashville USA.
Dean lived a private life while his celebrity wife carried on with her music career. “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,” Parton shared in social media post.
Parton and Dean met 1964 in Nashville in 1964, and they got married in 1966. While their marriage was still young Parton observed that her husband frequented a bank where he developed interest in one of the bank tellers. The episode inspired Parton to write “Joelene” one of her greatest ever hits in 1973.
While Parton soared to super stardom, Dean has remained somewhat of a mystery to the public, only having ever attended one public event with his wife. The limelight was not for him and Parton was just fine with that, as she explained in an episode of What Would Dolly Do? Radio on Apple Music 1. “He’s very honest. We have such a great relationship. I know not to ask him if I don’t want an honest answer.”
