Overview

• Carl Dean, Dolly Parton's husband of nearly six decades, died on March 3, 2025, at the age of 82 in Nashville, Tennessee.
• Dean, a private businessman who owned an asphalt company, avoided the public eye throughout their marriage, leading to speculation about his existence over the years.
• The couple met in 1964 outside a laundromat in Nashville shortly after Parton moved to the city to pursue her music career; they married in 1966.
• Dean inspired Parton's 1973 hit 'Jolene,' which was based on a lighthearted story involving a bank employee who showed interest in him.
• A private funeral ceremony will be held for Dean with only close family in attendance, as confirmed by Parton in a heartfelt social media statement.