Carl Dean, the husband of country music icon Dolly Parton, has died at the age of 82.
The announcement was made on Parton’s social media accounts on Monday.
“Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82,” the statement read.
“He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He was survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.”
Parton shared a touching tribute, reflecting 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,” she said.
She also expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support, adding, “Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.” The message concluded with a request for privacy during “this difficult time.”
Throughout their nearly 60-year union, Parton and Dean maintained a low-profile relationship. The couple exchanged vows in 1966, and while Parton flourished in the music industry, Dean remained out of the limelight.
Despite his preference for seclusion, Parton frequently spoke about her deep affection for him. She also credited Dean’s passion for rock music as an inspiration for her 2023 album Rockstar.
“Most of these songs I chose because of Carl, and because I knew they were good songs, ’cause he knows good music,” she told Good Morning America. “He does.”
In an interview in 2022, Parton reflected on what kept their marriage strong. “I like it when people say, ‘How did it last so long?’ I say, ‘It’s stay going,’” she said.
She explained that their different interests contributed to their enduring bond. “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.”
She also believed humor played a vital role in their relationship. “We both have a warped sense of humor,” she shared. “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.”
Dean’s passing marks the end of a love story that endured for nearly six decades—one that Parton cherished and often spoke of with heartfelt admiration.
