Dolly Parton plays to celebrate the expansion of the Imagination Library of Kentucky at the Lyric Theatre in Lexington, Ky., Aug. 27, 2024.
Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s beloved husband of nearly 60 years, passed away Monday at the age of 82.
According to Parton’s publicist, Dean died in Nashville and will be laid to rest in a private ceremony attended by immediate family.
“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,” Parton shared in a statement.
Dean was famously known as the inspiration for Parton’s hit song Jolene, which was inspired by a bank teller who flirted with him. The family has requested privacy, and no cause of death has been disclosed.