Dolly Parton’s husband is dead

Carl Dean, the husband of country music legend Dolly Parton, has passed away at the age of 82.

Dean and Parton were married for nearly 60 years, though he largely stayed out of the public eye. In a heartfelt post on X, Parton expressed her grief, saying, “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years.”

The couple first met in 1964 outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville, Tennessee. At the time, Parton was 18, and Dean was 21. She recalled being surprised that he looked her in the eyes while speaking to her, something she rarely experienced.

Two years later, in May 1966, they married in a small ceremony attended only by Parton’s mother, the preacher, and the preacher’s wife.