Dolly Parton Husband Carl Thomas Dean: Marriage, Job

Dolly Parton has been a household name for more than five decades now, but not many know her longtime husband, Carl Thomas Dean. Even though the country music icon’s super private spouse has shied away from the Hollywood spotlight, he’s always supported Dolly throughout her legendary career.

The 9 to 5 star’s love story with the Tennessee native began on the very first day Dolly moved to Nashville in 1964. She was just 18 at the time, while Carl was 21, when the two met outside of the Wishy Washy Laundromat in Music City, according to reports.

It was practically love at first sight for the young couple and they began dating shortly after. Two years later, the “I Will Always Love You” songstress and Carl made their love official when they tied the knot at a church in Ringgold, Georgia, in May 1966. “I knew as soon as I met Carl [that] there was no point looking for somebody else,” the “Islands in the Stream” singer marveled to Marie Claire in 2016.

Dolly quickly reached fame and superstardom throughout the early years of their marriage, but it didn’t bother her that Carl opted out of showbiz. In fact, the Steel Magnolias star said their different lifestyle preferences only continue to strengthen their relationship.

“He wants to be mostly around the house — he knows I’m just the opposite,” she told People in 2015. “I can’t go enough places. I can’t do enough things. He loves that. He’s independent. He doesn’t need me in his face, and it’s the same with me.”

The Grammy Award winner even dished the secret to their happy marriage, saying they’ve been able to maintain their strong bond because they actually spend time apart. “I always say, ‘Stay gone!’ and there’s a lot of truth to that,” she joked with the outlet.

Considering the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas actress is so in love with Carl, being away from him makes her all the more appreciative when they are together. Dolly was especially “grateful” to “spend more time with Carl” amid the coronavirus pandemic last year. Though she’s begun traveling more for work as COVID-19 regulations have started loosening up, the singer has been “cutting back as much as she can” when it comes to her work so she can be with Carl at home.

“She adores and is committed to Carl. They’re a team and Dolly will always be there for him,” an insider exclusively shared with Closer in July 2021. “Dolly is steadfast in her devotion and love for him. Dolly, like Carl, has always said that they’re in it for the long haul.”

Scroll through the gallery below to learn all about the country star’s private husband!

He’s Very Low-Key

Carl is so uninterested in living life in the spotlight, he’s rarely ever seen at Hollywood events. Dolly once dished her husband isn’t even that big of a fan of going out on fancy dates.

“When I met my husband, he wanted to take me out to dinner. He pulled up to the drive-in window and got our food at McDonald’s,” she told People in 2018. “We know a few little places we can go without being bothered. He only likes to go places where he can be comfortable!”

Dolly and Carl Still Have the Hots for Each Other

After 55 years of marriage, we can imagine it’s not always easy to keep the romance alive. However, that isn’t the case for Dolly and Carl. The singer revealed she gave her beau a sexy birthday surprise by dressing up in a bunny costume similar to the one she posed in for Playboy magazine decades ago.

“Remember how I said some time back that I was going to pose on Playboy magazine when I was 75? Well, I’m 75 and they don’t have a magazine anymore, but my husband always loved the original cover of Playboy, so I was trying to think of something to do to make him happy,” she said in a July 2021 Instagram video while all dressed up in her sultry ensemble.

“He still thinks I’m a hot chick after 57 years, and I’m not going to try to talk him out of that,” she adorably continued. “I hope he agrees, what do you think?” By the looks of Dolly’s incredible figure, there’s no doubt Carl was blown away!

A Rare Instagram Shout-Out

In November 2021, Dolly posted a sweet shout-out to Carl with a throwback photo on her Instagram account. The pic does have a huge twist, though: Carl’s shirt is Photoshopped to promote Dolly’s current collection of merchandise. The T-shirt with Dolly’s face on it became available in her online store for $35.

“Find you a partner who will support you like my Carl Dean does!” the songstress captioned the post.

Fans were freaking out in the comments section at the rare photo of the couple. Dolly, who is beaming from ear to ear in the snap, also posted it on her Instagram Story, along with a link to her merch collection.

A Throwback Thanksgiving!

After years of keeping the ultra-private Carl off her social media, Dolly shared a throwback photo of the two as a young married couple on November 25, 2021. “Happy #Thanksgiving from me and mine to you and yours,” Dolly captioned the photo, where fans gushed in the comments over how Carl “was so hot!”