Dolly Parton Reflects on Marriage to Late Husband, Says They Were ‘So Different’ Yet ‘So Similar’

Dolly Parton recently shed light on her decades-long marriage to her late husband, Carl Dean, who was known for being notoriously private.

“I really think that there’s just certain personalities that are great for each other. And we were together 61 years. We were just so different, but we were so similar,” the country star, 79, shared on the On Wednesday, July 9 episode of the Khloé in Wonderland podcast.

“We were perfect, as far as the temperature in the house. We didn’t fight over that ‘cause we both were comfortable at the same thing,” she continued. “Just so many things we were compatible about, and we just got along great.”

The husband-and-wife duo met at a Nashville laundromat and wed in 1966. They were married for 58 years before Dean passed away in March at the age of 82.

The “Jolene” singer explained on the podcast that Dean had no interest in the spotlight and was more of a “homebody” who was happy spending time on their Tennessee farm.

“We were different people. He was not involved in the music business at all. He loved music, but he was a loner,” she remarked. “He did not want a bunch of people around him except me. Of course, he had friends, but he was also the same way. He’d rather be at the barn, be on the farm all day, and if he was gonna go sell a loader or buy a loader or have somebody come work on one of his trucks or tractors, he’d have to let people in.”

The 9 to 5 star noted Dean was happy to support her from afar, and she made sure to respect his privacy — which she says contributed to the success of their marriage. On the podcast, she recounted a funny story about the one time he attended an award show with her.

“I won the song of the year, and I won a BMI award in 1966. That’s the year that we got married. And he rented a tuxedo, didn’t want to do it. I begged him to go,” she admitted. “And then when we were leaving that, he started taking that off, taking off all the jacket. And he said, ‘Now I want you to do great, but don’t you ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things cuz I ain’t going.’”

She added, “And he never did. And I knew right then that I’m just going to keep him private as best I can. Never ask him to do nothing. And certainly, he’s not going to volunteer. But he was very proud of me.”