Dolly Parton’s Husband, Carl Dean, Died On March 3, 2025

Dolly Parton recently granted two vulnerable interviews in which she discussed what life has been like for her after the loss of her beloved husband, Carl Dean.

Carl and Dolly married on May 30, 1966, after two years of dating, in a small ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia. As Dolly’s career flourished, Carl kept out of the spotlight, opting to live a private life at their home in Tennessee. He was rarely photographed and only ever attended one event with Dolly.

Despite their drastically different lifestyles, Dolly and Carl were the perfect pair. She often spoke about how their different personalities balanced each other out. Whenever she wasn’t on the road, filming a movie, or working on another project, Dolly treasured her time at home with Carl.

Sadly, Carl Dean passed away on March 3, 2025, at the age of 82. Dolly’s team shared the heartbreaking news in a post on her official social media pages, including a short statement from Dolly. It read:

“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.”

A few days after Carl’s death, Dolly released a new song in his honor. Speaking about the track, titled “If You Hadn’t Been There,” Dolly said:

“Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.”

Dolly Gets Emotional While Sharing What Her Life Has Been Like Since Carl’s Death

Dolly has maintained a busy schedule since Carl passed away. She’s said before that staying involved with her work and various projects helps her cope with her loss.

In a more recent interview with CBS Mornings, Dolly got emotional as she said:

Dolly also opened up to Entertainment Tonight about life after losing Carl. She said, “I’m having to really go through a lot trying to figure out how to be without him because I was with him for so long.”

While she’s heartbroken over Carl’s death, Dolly says she finds hope in the fact that he’s now “at peace.” She revealed that Carl was not in good health during the last years of his life.
“He did suffer a lot for the last few years, and there’s a part of me that’s happy he’s at peace and at rest,” she said. “But then of course, there’s that part of me that will miss him forever and long for him every day. For the rest of my life, I’m sure.”⁠

She added, “I’m holding up, I’m doing as well as one can after 60 years, being with and loving somebody.”

Watch the video below to hear Dolly Parton speak more about her life after the loss of her husband, Carl Dean. Our prayers go out to her…