Dolly Parton’s husband, Carl Dean, has passed away after nearly 60 years of marriage. The couple first met outside a Nashville laundromat, where Parton described being captivated by a tall, handsome man. Dean died on Monday in Nashville, as confirmed by Parton’s official statement, in which she expressed, “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.”
Dean inspired Parton’s iconic song “Jolene,” which she wrote after noticing a flirtatious bank clerk who seemed to take an interest in him. Parton recounted in a 2008 interview that the situation became a lighthearted joke between them.
The couple’s first encounter occurred when Parton was doing laundry the day she moved to Nashville at 18. She recalled being pleasantly surprised by Dean’s genuine interest in her. Although her record label advised her to postpone marriage, they wed in May 1966 in a private ceremony attended only by her mother, the officiant, and his wife, to avoid media attention. Dean, who owned a paving business, preferred to stay out of the spotlight and was rarely seen in public with Parton.
