Carl Dean, the longtime husband of country music icon Dolly Parton, has passed away at the age of 82. Parton confirmed his death on Monday, expressing her deep sorrow and reflecting on their decades-long love story.
“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years,” Parton wrote in a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter).
Dean and Parton first met in 1964 outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville, Tennessee, on the day she moved to the city to pursue her music career. At the time, Parton was 18, and Dean was 21. Their relationship quickly blossomed, leading to a private wedding ceremony in May 1966, attended only by Parton’s mother, the preacher, and his wife.
Despite Parton’s rise to international fame as the “queen of country music,” Dean remained out of the spotlight, preferring a quiet and simple life. He worked as an asphalt paver while Parton’s career flourished. The couple, who never had children, enjoyed their privacy, often retreating in their RV and spending time together away from the public eye.
In a 2015 interview with People magazine, Parton spoke fondly of their relationship, saying, “I love to read, I love to cook, I love to be with my husband.”
Dean was born in 1942 to Edgar “Ed” Henry Dean and Virginia “Ginny” Bates, whom Parton affectionately referred to as “Mama Dean.” He is survived by his siblings, Sandra and Donnie.
Parton has not shared further details regarding funeral arrangements.
