Dolly Parton Explains Why Husband Carl Dean Doesn’t Attend Events With Her

He swore off the limelight in the 60s.

Dolly Parton recently addressed one of the more mysterious aspects of her extraordinary life: her husband.

Carl Dean, 81, has diligently avoided the spotlight throughout their 57 years of marriage. In fact, he only ever went to a single event with his superstar wife before swearing off Hollywood entirely.

During the final episode of What Would Dolly Do? Radio on Apple Music 1, Parton offered some rare insight into their relationship, even going as far as to recall the event that led him to ditch red carpets for good.

“Carl has never been in the limelight and all, never wanted to be in it. He don't like it,” Parton, 77, explained to co-host Kelleigh Bannen. “He went to one thing with me early on, when we first married, to a BMI Song of the Year [event], and he came out of there taking off his tuxedo, his tie and all that and said, ‘Don't ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things because I ain't going.’ I never asked him and he never did.”

The country music legend went on to praise her husband for his unfaltering honesty.

“He’s very honest,” Parton shared. “We have such a great relationship. I know not to ask him if I don't want an honest answer.”

The topic of Dean has come up a lot since Parton announced her decision to stop touring. The songstress elaborated on her decision to stay close to home in a recent interview with Country Living.

"I've got so many business things I'm doing," she explained "And my husband and I are getting older—he's a little older than I am—and I kind of need to be with him."

"I might take off of you know, a month instead of a week, but no, I don't plan to ever retire unless my husband was sick and really needed me, or I was sick, that'd be the only two reasons I would ever quit," Parton added. "And let's hope that never happens."

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