© 2026 ABC News

\"He is God's arms now and I am okay with that,\" she added. \"I will always love you.\"

Dean's death was first announced Monday in a statement on Parton's social media accounts.

\"Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82,\" the statement read. \"He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He was survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.\"

Parton, who was married to Dean for nearly 60 years, also spoke about their many decades together in a quote included in the statement.

\"Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years,\" the note read. \"Thank you for your prayers and sympathy. The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time.\"

The couple, who married in 1966, kept their relationship largely private over the years.

\"PHOTO:
ABC News
PHOTO: A framed photo of Dolly Parton and her husband Carl Dean stands on a table top while Parton was interviewed by ABC News in Nov. 2023.
>

While Dean avoided the spotlight, Parton often spoke about their bond. She once revealed that his love for rock 'n' roll influenced her \"Rockstar\" album.

\"Most of these songs I chose because of Carl, and because I knew they were good songs -- 'cause he knows good music,\" she told \"Good Morning America\" in 2023.

In a 2022 interview with ET Canada, Parton shared the key to their lasting marriage: space, mutual respect and enjoying life together.

\"I like it when people say, 'How did it last so long?' I say, 'It's [still] going,'\" Parton said at the time. \"You know, there's a lot to be said about that. So, we're not in each other's face all the time. He's not in the business, so we have different interests, but yet we have the things we love to do together.\"

\"So it was meant to be, I think. He was the one I was supposed to have and vice versa,\" she added.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/dolly-parton-posts-love-note-after-husband-carl/story?id=119526291","legacySlug":"/culture/story/dolly-parton-posts-love-note-after-husband-carl-119526291","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"21:44","publishDate":"03-06-2025","updatedTime":"13:03","updatedDate":"03-07-2025","socialImage":{"alt":"A framed photo of Dolly Parton and her husband Carl Dean stands on a table top while Parton was interviewed by ABC News in Nov. 2023.","credit":"ABC News","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/dolly-parton-abc-gmh-250303_1741049891152_hpMain_23x13_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"3/6/2025 21:44:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":119526291,"headline":"Dolly Parton speaks out after husband's death","mediaAssetTitle":"Dolly Parton posts ‘love note’","description":"Dean, who was married to Parton for nearly 60 years, died March 3 at age 82.","duration":"0:52","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2025/03/250307_gma_play_dolly_748_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["110448017","116502322","110902944"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"story","date":"May 21, 2024","headline":"New Dolly Parton orchestra concert project on the way: Details here","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/new-dolly-parton-orchestra-concert-project-details-110448017","id":110448017,"image":{"alt":"New Dolly Parton orchestra concert project on the way: Details here","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dolly-gty-er-240521_1716324881478_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Jason Kempin/Getty Images","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"December 5, 2024","headline":"Dolly Parton announces open casting call for her new musical: Details","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/dolly-parton-opens-casting-new-broadway-musical-announcing-116502322","id":116502322,"image":{"alt":"Dolly Parton announces open casting call for her new musical: Details","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dolly-1-gty-er-241205_1733431317698_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Terry Wyatt/WireImage via Getty Images, FILE","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"June 6, 2024","headline":"Dolly Parton announces Broadway musical about her life: 'Don't miss it'","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/dolly-dolly-partons-life-story-broadway-2026-110902944","id":110902944,"image":{"alt":"Dolly Parton announces Broadway musical about her life: 'Don't miss it'","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dolly-ht-ml-240606_1717690574230_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Jim Wright","ratio":"1x1"}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Dolly Parton speaks out after husband's death","description":"Dean, who was married to Parton for nearly 60 years, died March 3 at age 82.","duration":"0:52","uploadDate":"03-06-2025","publication":"03-06-2025","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2025/03/250307_gma_play_dolly_748_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2025/03/250307_gma_play_dolly_748_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/dolly-parton-posts-love-note-after-husband-carl-119526291"}},"playlist":[{"id":"134548164","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134542058","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134416060","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134443994","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134406623","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134358132","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134353508","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134335187","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134334942","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134302445","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134246001","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134202757","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134211156","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134179882","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134130187","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134161969","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134164484","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134145709","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134134667","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134099631","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:culture:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"culture","title":"Dolly Parton speaks out after husband's death","pubTime":"16:44","pubDate":"03-06-2025","modTime":"08:03","modDate":"03-07-2025","taxonomyTags":"none","id":119526291,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Dolly Parton speaks out after husband's death","mediaAssetTitle":"Dolly Parton posts ‘love note’","videoId":119526291,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/culture/story/dolly-parton-posts-love-note-after-husband-carl-119526291"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/119526291","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/119526291","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};