Carl Dean, Husband of Dolly Parton, and One of the Most Enigmatic Figures in Country Music Has Died

Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, has died. The man who inspired the song Jolene among others was 82.

For nearly 60 years, Carl Dean was married to one of the most beautiful, talented and wealthy women in the world. And somehow, almost no one knew who he was. Dean married Dolly Parton in May of 1966. He watched from behind the scenes as she rocketed to fame and fortune and international icon status. Dean died Monday, March 3.

Parton – in a brief statement released to the world – shares a little insight into their love.

Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” she wrote. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”

Who was Carl Dean?

It’s hard to say with much certainty. Dean was certainly an extremely private man. His appearances in the spotlight were so rare, that some jokingly wondered whether he existed at all. He did. In 1964, an 18-year-old Dolly moved to Nashville where she bumped into Dean – who was slightly older – outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat. According to the Associated Press, it was her first day in Nashville.

“I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me),” Parton described the meeting. “He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.”

On the occasion of their 50th Anniversary Dean recalled his thoughts when he met Dolly.

“My first thought was ‘I’m gonna marry that girl,” he said. “My second thought was, ‘Lord she’s good lookin.'”

They married two years later – Memorial Day of 1966 – in Ringgold, Georgia, southeast of Chattanooga. Dean opened an asphalt paving business and later dealt in real estate. He didn’t have much of an enthusiasm for the spotlight.

After making an appearance at an award ceremony in 1966, Dean told his wife the limelight wasn’t for him according to Dolly. She wrote about this in her autobiography “Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business.”

“I love you, and I will support you in your career any way I can, but I am not going to any more of these wingdings,” she wrote that he told her.

Jolene and other inspirations

Though Dean wasn’t directly involved in Parton’s career, he made more than a few appearances in her songs including the classic, “Jolene.” The song was inspired at least partly by a bank teller who liked to flirt with Dean, who maybe appreciated the attention.

His disappointment in learning she’d been with other men before him led to Dolly’s “Because I’m a Woman.” Other songs Dolly wrote for or used Dean as the inspiration for include “From Here to the Moon and Back,” “Forever Love,” “Say Forever You’ll Be Mine” and “Tomorrow is Forever.”

Dean did appear on the cover of her 1969 album “My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy.”

Reactions

In her statement, Parton thanked the public for its prayers and sympathy. Her sister Stella sent out a similar message on social media. She thanked the public for prayers on behalf of the Parton family and Dean’s family.

It is the second tragedy to hit the Parton family in recent months. Dolly’s older brother David Parton died in November of last year. In his obituary, Dolly was listed among the survivors as Dolly (Carl) Dean, a rare public reference to her married name.

Dean will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family in attendance.

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