Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, passed away at 82. A private man, he inspired her hit song “Jolene” and influenced her music career.

Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s devoted husband of nearly 60 years, passed away on Monday at the age of 82. According to a statement provided to The Associated Press by Parton’s publicist, Dean died in Nashville, Tennessee. His burial will be a private ceremony attended only by immediate family members.

Parton shared her grief in a heartfelt statement, saying, “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 requested privacy and respect during this difficult time. No cause of death was disclosed.

Dean and Parton’s love story began when they met outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat on the day she moved to Nashville at the age of 18. Recalling the moment, Parton once said, “I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me). He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.”

Two years later, on May 30, 1966—Memorial Day—the couple married in a small, intimate ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia. While Parton pursued her career in country music, Dean focused on his business, owning an asphalt-paving company in Nashville.

Born to Virginia “Ginny” Bates Dean and Edgar “Ed” Henry Dean, Carl Dean was one of three children, alongside his siblings Sandra and Donnie. Parton formed a close bond with his mother, whom she affectionately called “Mama Dean.”

Dean’s deep and private love for Parton became the foundation of their enduring marriage. He was also the inspiration behind one of her most famous songs, “Jolene.” In a 2008 interview with NPR, Parton revealed that the song was inspired by a flirtatious bank teller who appeared to have a crush on Dean. “She got this terrible crush on my husband,” Parton said. “And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us—when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.”

Throughout their marriage, Dean and Parton maintained strict privacy about their relationship, fueling speculation that Dean was merely a fictional character. In a 1984 interview with The Associated Press, Parton addressed the rumors, saying, “A lot of people say there’s no Carl Dean, that he’s just somebody I made up to keep other people off me.” She humorously added that she wanted to pose with him on a magazine cover so people would at least know she wasn’t “married to a wart or something.”

Despite staying out of the limelight, Dean had a profound influence on Parton’s career. In 2023, she revealed that he inspired her rock album Rockstar, saying, “He’s a big rock and roller.” She included the song “My Blue Tears,” which she wrote while on The Porter Wagoner Show in the late 1960s and early 1970s, because it was one of his favorites. Additionally, she covered Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” as a nod to his musical tastes.

Carl Dean is survived by his wife, Dolly Parton, and his siblings, Sandra and Donnie. His passing marks the end of a love story that spanned nearly six decades, built on privacy, devotion, and unwavering support.