Tanya Tucker is there for her friend and musical colleague during this heartbreaking time.
Yesterday evening, Dolly Parton took to social media to release a statement announcing the death of her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean. The short statement provided a quote from Parton, noting how special their love was and detailing a service for friends and close family.
“Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He was survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.
‘Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.’
The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time.”
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 4, 2025
Fans of Dolly Parton quickly filled out the comments section of the statement, noting how sorry they were for her loss and wishing her strength during this difficult time. Soon after the announcement, country music colleagues, including Tanya Tucker, also began sharing their words of sympathy for the “I Will Always Love You” singer.
Tanya shared to her social media channels:
“l am beyond sad for my dear friend Dolly Parton. I remember meeting Carl when I stopped in at their house unexpected in Brentwood when I was 15 or 16. She made me chocolate chip cookies, and we all sat around and talked, and it was one of my most precious memories!!
I know she’s hurting, and that makes me hurt too! Just wish I could wrap my arms around her! Rest Easy Carl!!!”
Tucker was lucky to have Dolly Parton as a mentor of sorts, as Parton’s career was well established by the time Tucker entered the scene. Tucker was 13 years old when she was discovered with her hit single “Delta Dawn,” which was released in 1972, and Parton helped foster her through the industry.
Parton knew what it was like to be a teenage sensation and took Tucker under her wing. Because of this, Tucker was among the few people with a relationship with Parton’s private husband.
Carl Dean had asked Parton early in their relationship to keep him out of the limelight, and she was happy to do so as he always supported her from the shadows. Parton once said in an E! News interview that although some people might have thought it odd that Dean supported her from outside of the limelight, she always adored him for that because he truly loved her for her and not the persona that is Dolly Parton.
“To have, you know, someone there in your corner and you know they love you for just who you are, not what you do, not what other people think you are, and they know you know for who you are, there’s a great comfort in that. Knowing that someone loves you exactly for who you are, because he fell in love with me before I became a star.
Somebody said, ‘Oh, you know, how do you know how do you feel about being married to a star?’ He said, ‘I didn’t know I was.’ To him, I’m his star, but he doesn’t relate to any of that. He doesn’t care about that. Well, he’s proud of me, I don’t mean that, but that’s not how he sees me, not how the public sees me.”
Many people dream of Dolly Parton and Carl Dean’s love story, and she was beyond lucky to have lived out her dreams with the man of her dreams by her side for over 60 years and to have been married for 59 years.
Rest in peace, Carl Dean.
