Dolly Parton said she would miss her late husband, Carl Dean, “for the rest of my life” in one of her final interviews.
Parton, 79, spoke with Entertainment Tonight in May 2025, two months after Dean died in March at age 82. The Grammy-winning singer told the outlet she “long[ed] for him every day” as she navigated life without her partner of nearly six decades.
“Of course I miss him,” 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.”
Parton continued, “There’s that part of me that will miss him forever. … For the rest of my life, I’m sure.”
The “Jolene” singer also found some comfort in Dean’s final years. She noted, “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.”
Six months after her conversation with Entertainment Tonight, Parton reflected further on her loss in an interview. She told the outlet, “Ours is a great old love story.”
“Most people don’t stay that close that long,” she shared. “That’s a loss. Nobody can ever know that unless you’ve experienced it yourself. He will always be in my heart and in my memories.”
Parton and Dean married in May 1966 in a private ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia. Dean, who ran an asphalt paving business in Nashville, largely avoided the public eye throughout their marriage, making only a handful of appearances alongside his famous wife. Parton often credited their lasting union to his preference for staying out of the spotlight.
In the viral moment that defined their relationship for fans, Parton frequently spoke about Dean’s steadfast support behind the scenes. She told stories of his practical gifts, including the time he encouraged her songwriting by simply listening to her work at their home. Their dynamic became part of her public narrative — the flamboyant entertainer and the quiet man who preferred trucks and tractors to red carpets.
Parton died Monday at age 80, her publicist confirmed. The country music icon had continued working through her grief, with her final interview appearing shortly before her death.
Parton is scheduled to be honored at a public memorial service in Nashville.
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