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A timeline of Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean’s sweet 60-year romance
The singer opens up about her famously private, 60-year union, a testament to enduring love and mutual devotion in the wake of her husband's death.
On Tuesday, August 25, 2026, legendary country music artist Dolly Parton died at age 80. Her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, confirmed the singer's passing in a video message posted to Instagram.
Parton is survived by the memory of her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, who passed away on March 3, 2025, at age 82. The couple married in Georgia in 1966, sharing a marriage lasting nearly 59 years.
Describing their romance as 'a great old love story,' Dean preferred a private life away from the spotlight despite Parton's fame. Despite their different approaches to public life, the pair remained deeply connected for six decades.
Following Dean's death, Parton admitted adjusting to life without him was difficult, stating, 'It's a big adjustment just trying to change patterns and habits.' She credited her ongoing work for helping her cope with the loss.
In one of her final interviews before her death, Parton shared she would miss her husband for the rest of her life. Seaver noted the country icon is now 'in the arms of Jesus' and reunited with Dean.
The interpreter for "I Will Always Love You" lost her husband, Carl Dean, to whom she was married for six decades, just over a year ago, in March 2025.