Dolly Parton has shared a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, Carl Dean, after he passed away at the age of 82—almost 60 years after the couple met in Tennessee, where they lived together for many decades.

The 79-year-old country music mogul revealed in a post shared on her social media accounts that Dean passed away in Nashville, TN; however, she did not share a cause of death.

“Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82,” the statement began. “He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He is survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.”

The post then included a personal statement from Parton, who said: “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 family asks for privacy during this difficult time.”

“Jolene” songstress Parton and her husband maintained a very private life—while the country music sensation became a global phenomenon, her husband, a former asphalt paver, preferred to stay away from the spotlight, holding down the fort at home while she traveled the world.

Dolly Parton has revealed that Carl Dean, her husband of 60 years, whom she lived with in their Tennessee home, has passed away at the age of 82.(dollyparton/Instagram)

The couple met on the day that Parton moved to Nashville when she was just 18 years old—bumping into one another outside of the Wishy Washy Laundromat, according to the Associated Press.

Two years later, the couple tied the knot in a heartfelt ceremony in Ringgold, GA, and opted to stay out of the spotlight, tucking away at their ultraprivate Nashville home where they lived throughout the entirety of their marriage.

The couple spent their days in a five-bathroom property that sits on 63 acres and is informally known as Willow Lake Plantation.

Although it’s unknown how much the couple splashed out for the property, Realtor.com® estimates that the property is now worth $8.8 million.

In 2014, Parton garnered approval from the Brentwood board to build a barn on the property that “architecturally matches” the other three barns on the residence and doesn’t exceed 17 feet in height.

Because of the couple’s bid for a private life, little is known about their two-story property.

Although Dean decided to remain out of the public eye, he frequently inspired his wife’s career, most notably influencing her hit song “Jolene.”

The country music mogul, 79, revealed that Dean died in Nashville, TN, in a statement shared to social media.(Paul Harris/Getty Images)

The “Jolene” songstress and Dean crossed paths outside a laundromat on the first day she arrived in Tennessee as aspiring singer at the age of 18. (dollyparton/Instagram)

In 2008, Parton told NPR that the song came to life after a bank teller developed a “terrible crush” on Dean.

“She got this terrible crush on my husband, and he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention.

“It was kind of like a running joke between us when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one,” she explained.

Their marriage has long been a hot topic as Dolly previously revealed that they have an emotionally “open marriage,” and that she had even developed feelings for another man.

In 2017, Parton revealed in her book “Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton” that she developed crushes on other men while married.

“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.

“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.

In 2017, Parton revealed in her book “Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton” that she developed crushes on other men while married.(dollyparton/Instagram)

Parton has also previously revealed that the couple opted to not have kids because she didn’t believe “God” meant it for her. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for American Greetings)

“I think so much of it is the fact that we are honest and open, and we have a warped sense of humor!” the singer explained while speaking to BBC.

Parton has also previously revealed that the couple opted to not have kids because she didn’t believe “God” meant it for her.

“Since I had no kids, and my husband was pretty independent, I had freedom, so I think a big part of my whole success is the fact that I was free to work.”

“I didn’t have children because I believed that God didn’t mean for me to have kids so everybody’s kids could be mine, so I could do things like Imagination Library because if I hadn’t had the freedom to work, I wouldn’t have done all the things I’ve done. I wouldn’t be in a position to do all of the things I’m doing now,” Parton said in a 2020 episode of “The Oprah Conversation“

She added that she has made “sacrifices” but is doing what she is “supposed to do.”

“I’ve made sacrifices, but I think, like I said, I believe what I know I’m supposed to do,” she said of her purpose. Kelsi Karruli is a senior celebrity reporter who joined Realtor.com in 2025. She writes about trends encompassing real estate and celebrity properties. She previously wrote for Daily Mail, True Urban Culture, and JMedia Corporation, where she specialized in covering celebrities, relationships, psychology, and gender issues. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Pace University, where she received the James Rose Award for excellence in journalism. When she isn’t updating readers on A-listers’ moves, she is spending time with her cat, Mary, and cheering on the Albanian soccer team.