Carl Dean death announced, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, has passed away at 82. The country music icon shares heartfelt tribute

Carl Dean, the husband of country music legend Dolly Parton, has died on Monday at the age of 82. The couple, who shared nearly 60 years of marriage, famously kept their relationship private, with Dean largely staying out of the public eye.

Dolly Parton shared a touching tribute to her late husband on X, expressing the depth of their enduring love. “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” she wrote. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years.”

Parton and Dean’s love story began in 1964 outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville, Tennessee. Parton, then 18, was immediately drawn to Dean, who was 21.

“I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me),” she recalled. “He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.”

Two years later, in May 1966, they married in a small, private ceremony. The intimate affair was attended only by Parton’s mother, the preacher, and his wife, reflecting the couple’s preference for a life away from the spotlight.

Carl Dean’s quiet presence and unwavering support played a crucial role in Dolly Parton’s extraordinary career. Their enduring love story, marked by privacy and deep affection, has touched the hearts of many.