Dolly Parton Reveals She's Dealing With 'A Big Adjustment' After Carl Dean's Death

Dolly Parton is still adjusting to life without her beloved husband, Carl Dean, and the country icon could not hold back her emotions while reflecting on the loss again.

The couple was famously private, and while they never had children, Parton once shared that she chose to focus on her career instead of starting a family.

Dolly Parton and Carl Dean were married in 1966 and remained devoted to each other for nearly six decades until his passing earlier this year.

Parton opened up about how she has been coping since the death of her husband, saying it has been a major shift after six decades together. The 79-year-old appeared on TODAY from Dollywood and got visibly emotional as she reflected on the loss of her longtime partner.

Parton told host Savannah Guthrie, "We were together 60 years. I've loved him since I was 18 years old," while trying to hold back tears.

In the interview, Parton acknowledged the difficulty of adapting to life alone, calling it "a big adjustment" and sharing that changing her daily routines and habits has not been easy. Still, she said her work has been her anchor through the grief:

"I'll do fine, and I'm very involved in my work, and that's been the best thing that could happen to me. But I'll always miss him, of course, and always love him. He was a great partner to me."

Parton opened up further about the emotional toll of losing Dean, revealing just how deeply the support from fans impacted her. The icon admitted that the love she has received from people worldwide helped her through the loss, but also caught her by surprise. 

"I'm so thankful. I've gotten so many cards, letters, and flowers from all over the world. I had no idea Carl Dean was so famous," she humorously stated. Dean was known for keeping a low profile, staying out of the public eye while quietly standing by Parton's side for six decades.

Parton also recalled one particularly overwhelming moment during a Dollywood parade, where the wave of support hit her hard. "I got very emotional that day," she said, adding:

"Right after I had lost Carl and I was just so bottled up with emotion, and I got in the van and just boo-hooed for the longest time, just feeling all that love and emotion."

Before her recent admissions, Parton got honest about the aftermath of losing her husband of 60 years, just weeks after his passing. The Blast reported that during the 40th anniversary celebration of Dollywood, Parton shared how she was holding up, stating, "I'm doing better than I thought I would."

Still, the star admitted that adjusting to life without Dean, who had been by her side for most of her life, was not easy. "I've been with him 60 years. So, I'm going to have to relearn some of the things that we've done. But I'll keep him always close," she said.

Even though she found peace in knowing Dean was no longer suffering, Parton did not sugarcoat the pain. In her own words, "It's a hole in my heart, you know, but we'll fill that up with good stuff and he'll still always be with me."

The two first met when Parton was just 18, outside a laundromat in Nashville. That chance encounter led to a lifetime bond marked by road trips and quiet moments rather than red carpets or public displays.

Dean rarely made public appearances, and most photos of them came directly from Parton's private stash. They tied the knot when she was 20 in a low-key ceremony, and despite Parton's massive rise to stardom, the couple remained firmly rooted in a life of simplicity. 

While she conquered the country music world, Dean supported her from behind the scenes, never seeking fame himself. Though they never had children, Parton often noted she felt complete in her marriage. In 2016, they marked their 50th anniversary with a quiet vow renewal at home in Nashville. 

Despite their many years together, Parton and her late beau never had children, and she was always at peace with that decision.

The Blast reported that in late 2023, Parton had explained that becoming a mom was never something she truly craved. While she and Dean assumed early on they might eventually have kids, her focus on music took center stage, and she had no regrets.

"I haven't missed it like I thought I might. When you're a young couple, you think you're going to have kids, but it just wasn't one of those burning things for me," she explained. 

She also admitted she would have likely put her career on hold if motherhood had come into the picture. And as for bringing kids into today's world? Parton had her concerns.

"With everything that's going on, I'd hate to be bringing a child into this world right now. I always say God didn't let me have children so that all kids could be mine," she shared.

Dolly Parton shows that love does not end with loss; it simply finds new ways to carry on.