Dolly Parton passed away on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80, following a long health battle. Her death came just over a year after her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, died on March 3, 2025, in Nashville at the age of 82.
A Marriage That Began in 1966
The 9 To 5 singer and the asphalt business owner were married in Ringgold, Georgia, in 1966. Although the world knows her as Dolly Parton, she confirmed that 'Dean' is her official surname, signing contracts as Dolly Parton Dean.
The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in 2016. In an official statement posted on Instagram, Parton wrote: "Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He was survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie."
She added her own tribute: "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." The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
How They Met
Parton moved from Tennessee to Nashville right after finishing secondary school. At 18, she was doing laundry at a neighbourhood laundrette when Dean pulled up in his lorry and warned her she might get sunburnt in her skimpy outfit.
Dean recalled: "My first thought was, 'I'm gonna marry that girl'. My second thought was, 'Lord she's good lookin''. And that was the day my life began."
Reflecting on their wedding day, Parton shared: "My mother made me a little white dress and a little bouquet. We found a little Baptist church in town, and went up to Pastor Don Duvall and said, 'Would you marry us?' We got pictures on the steps right outside the church."
An Open Relationship and a Playful Arrest
In her 2017 memoir 'Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton', the star wrote: "He's not jealous and I'm not jealous of him. He knows I flirt. He flirts too. Yes, it's an open relationship, but not sexually and I would kill him if I thought he was doing that. He would shoot me too. At the end of the day we love each other madly."
She told the Daily Mail: "Men are my weakness. Short, fat, bald or skinny – I've had crushes on some very unusual men but Carl knows I'll always come home and I'm not having sex with these people – I'm just flirting and having fun."
In one playful incident, Dean joined Parton on stage as a backing singer at the 1977 Kentucky State Fair. She then pointed at her husband and told a nearby police officer she didn't recognise "that man in the red shirt". The officer detained him, but tour manager Don Warden intervened before he could be taken to the police station.
An Emotional Low Point
While Parton consistently refuted allegations of infidelity, she did confess to having feelings for an unidentified man that crossed a line. In her book, she wrote about a moment of despair at home: "I was sitting upstairs in my bedroom one afternoon when I noticed in the nightstand drawer my gun that I keep for burglars. I looked at it a long time... Then, just as I picked it up, just to hold it and look at it for a moment, our little dog, Popeye, came running up the stairs.
"The tap-tap-tap of his paws jolted me back to reality, I suddenly froze. I put the gun down. Then I prayed. I kinda believe Popeye was a spiritual messenger from God. I don't think I'd have done it, killed myself, but I can't say for sure."
Parton always emphasised the profound trust between them, stating: "At the end of the day we love each other madly." If you need emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
