Overview

• Carl Dean, who avoided the spotlight throughout their nearly 60-year marriage, died March 3 in Nashville at age 82 after a prolonged illness.
• Parton says her faith sustains her grief, adding that she feels his presence daily and trusts they will reunite in the afterlife.
• She released the tribute song “If You Hadn’t Been There” and vows to keep Dean ever-present through her work and performances.
• Parton is preparing her memoir, Star of the Show, and an autobiographical musical set to debut in Nashville this summer before opening on Broadway in 2026.
• She marked Dollywood’s 40th anniversary with a surprise performance and has continued her entrepreneurial streak with a new single-serve frozen meals line.