Dolly Parton has been married to her husband, Carl Dean, for an impressive 58 years, but the couple is rarely seen together at public events. The legendary singer recently discussed her famously private husband on the Dumb Blonde podcast hosted by Bunnie Xo, revealing why he chooses to avoid attending awards shows and other public gatherings with her.
Parton, now 78 years old, explained that Carl, who is 82, loves music but has no interest in being part of the music industry. “He loves music, but he’s not the least bit interested in being in it,” she shared. “And he told me that right up front.”
The singer recalled an instance from 1967 when she won an award for BMI Song of the Year. She rented her husband a tuxedo and convinced him to join her at the event, but it was clear he was uncomfortable. “He was so uncomfortable the whole night,” Parton remembered. “He said, ‘Look, now I want you to do everything you want to do, and I wish you the best, but don’t ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things because I ain’t going.’” Since that night, Carl has kept his word and stayed out of the spotlight.
Despite his absence from public events, Parton and Carl’s marriage remains strong. The country music icon has credited their successful relationship to the space they give each other. In a 2022 interview, she explained, “We’re not in each other’s face all the time. He’s not in the business, so we have different interests, but yet we have the things we love to do together.”
For Parton, it’s clear that their partnership was meant to be, as she believes they complement each other perfectly. “He was the one I was supposed to have and vice versa,” she said.
