Dolly Parton has given a rare glimpse into her 58-year marriage by revealing the reason why her husband Carl Dean refuses to attend events with her.
Speaking on Monday’s episode of Bunnie Xo’s Dumb Blonde podcast, the 78-year-old country legend revealed that while her husband “loves” music, he’s “not the least bit interested in being in it.”
Recalling a pivotal moment early in their marriage, Dolly revealed that she once convinced Carl to attend an awards show in 1967, when he won BMI Song of the Year.
Despite the big win, “homely” Carl told him, “I wish you the best, but don’t ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things because I’m not going.”
And, he added, he never did.
But throughout their decades together, the couple, who renewed their vows in 2016 at their Nashville home, have relied on their shared sense of humor to avoid conflict.
Dolly Parton has given a rare glimpse into her 58-year marriage by revealing the reason why her husband Carl Dean refuses to attend events with her.
Dolly Parton, 77, and her husband Carl Dean, 81, have been married for 57 years after tying the knot in 1966, two years after they met.
Speaking fondly of her ‘fun’ husband, the ‘Jolene’ singer revealed: “He’s quiet and I’m loud, and we’re fun… we have a lot of fun.”
He added: “Whenever there’s too much tension, any of us can find a joke about it to really break the tension, where we don’t let it go that far,” he explained.
“We never fought back and forth.”
The couple first met at a laundromat in Nashville in 1964, and throughout the dizzying heights of fame, Carl has remained a constant and supportive figure for Dolly behind the scenes.
As Dolly’s fame grew, Carl, who once ran a road paving business, stayed out of the spotlight, content to support his wife behind the scenes.
And despite his reluctance to join her in the public eye, Dolly has always made an effort to keep their romance alive.
In 2022, he revealed in an interview with E! News that she always dresses up for her man.
“Every day I put on my makeup and my hair because I think, ‘Well, everyone else is here and everyone else sees me dressed nicely, and I’m not just going to go home.’ and just plop down on him,” said.
Speaking on Monday’s episode of Bunnie Xo’s Dumb Blonde podcast, the 78-year-old country legend revealed that while her husband “loves” music, he’s “not interested in being in it.”
Carl, who used to run a road paving business in Nashville, has always stayed out of the spotlight and the couple is rarely seen together.
Dolly arrives at her Dolly Parton pet gala without her husband Carl Dean in January 2024
Nobody wants to kiss while hunched over! It is important to me to look my best. I think it helps keep things spicy.’
This month, the ‘9 to 5’ singer oozes glamor on the cover of Good Housekeeping’s December issue and gave fans a glimpse of Christmas with her family.
Stating that she has “Christmas trees in every room,” the singer revealed that tourists gather to admire the exterior of her home.
“It’s a little less vulgar out there,” he said. ‘On the inside I can glue it however I want!’
Dolly also shared a family tradition that sees her dress up as ‘Grandma Claus’ every year for her grandchildren.
She said, “I put on my Santa suit and go down the chimney with my sack full of presents.”
‘Even though many of the children are older, they still expect me to do it. One day I’ll be limping in that elevator!’
Before reaching the top of the charts with hits like Jolene and 9 to 5, Dolly, 77, met Carl outside a laundromat in 1964 (pictured at their 1964 wedding).