Last week, we reported that Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean passed away on Monday, March 3. He was 82 years-old at the time of his death, and he had been married to Parton for nearly 60 years.
In his honor, Dolly has released an emotional new song called “If You Hadn’t Been There.”
Parton Releases New Song
“I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old,” Parton, 79, wrote on social media as she released the song. “We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together.”
“Like all great love stories, they never end,” she continued. “They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.”
Parton shared the song along with album art that featured a throwback photo of herself with Dean in their younger days.
The song features powerful lyrics that are sure to bring tears to the eyes of many.
“If you hadn’t been there / Where would I be? / Without your trust, love and belief,” Parton sings on the track.
“The ups and downs / We’ve always shared / And I wouldn’t be here, if you hadn’t been there,” she continues.
Check out the song for yourself in the video below. Be sure to have some tissues handy for this one!
Dean’s Death
Dean’s death was announced hours after his passing last week.
“Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82,” the post read. “He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He is survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.”
Parton then added a brief statement of her own.
“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” she said. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”
Parton issued a follow up statement days later indicating that she’s leaning on God during this tragic time.
“This is a love note to family, friends, and fans. Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers that you’ve sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl,” Parton, 79, wrote on social media. “I can’t reach out personally to each of you but just know it has meant the world to me.”
“He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you,” she continued. This was a clear reference to her 1973 hit song “I Will Always Love You.”
Parton And Dean’s History
Parton was only 18 years-old when she met Dean at Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville, Tennessee. It was actually Parton’s first day in Nashville after she moved there to pursue her country music dreams.
“My first thought was ‘I’m gonna marry that girl.’ My second thought was, ‘Lord she’s good looking.’ And that was the day my life began,” Dean later recalled in 2016. “I wouldn’t trade the last 50 years for nothing on this Earth.”
Parton and Dean married on May 30, 1966. They never had children, citing his love for “freedom” and Parton’s devotion to her career.
“He likes his freedom. If I call him, that’s fine, he ain’t expectin’ it,” Parton said in 1982. “He doesn’t like me home for long because it interferes with his tradin’. So we never really have any hold on each other. And yet we have the ultimate hold.”
Dean Stay Preferred To Stay Out Of The Spotlight
Despite being married to one of the most famous women in the world, Dean always preferred to stay out of the spotlight. Instead, he liked to spend much of his time on the farm that he and Parton shared in Tara, which is located just outside of Nashville.
“I always joke and laugh when people ask me what’s the key to my long marriage and lasting love,” Parton told People Magazine in 2018. “I always say ‘Stay gone!’ and there’s a lot of truth to that….I travel a lot, but we really enjoy each other when we’re together and the little things we do.”
Find out more about this in the video below.
This is clearly a very difficult time for Parton. Please join us in saying a prayer for her.
More About:Celebrity News