Dolly Parton Gets ‘Very Emotional’ Talking About Carl Dean After His Death

• Dolly Parton appeared on the Today show on Friday, May 2, live from Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
• During her interview, she became choked up while speaking about the death of her husband, Carl Dean
• Dean died on March 3 after 60 years of marriage to the country legend

Dolly Parton is opening up about the struggles of losing her beloved husband, Carl Dean, in a new interview two months after his March 3 death. 

Appearing on TODAY on Friday, May 2, from Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., the 79-year-old music mogul kept a smile on her face despite getting choked up throughout her interview while talking about Dean. 

“Oh, you know what, I get very emotional when people bring it up,” Parton told Today’s Savannah Guthrie. “But we were together 60 years. I’ve loved him since I was 18 years old.”

Of the time since Dean’s death, Parton admitted, “It’s a big adjustment just trying to change patterns and habits. 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.”

The “Jolene” singer has been grateful for the outpouring of love she’s received from fans in the wake of her husband’s death. 

“I’m so thankful. I’ve gotten so many cards, letters, flowers, from all over the world,” she shared before jokingly adding. “I had no idea Carl Dean was so famous.”

Dean kept his life out of the spotlight, supporting his wife’s iconic career from behind the scenes for decades. 

Parton also reflected on the recent viral moment between her and an overjoyed young fan during one of her Dollywood parades. 

“I remember him in the parade. I was thinking, ‘Honey, are you gonna have a heart attack right here in front of everybody?’ “ Parton shared of the little boy. “It was the sweetest thing. I just wanted to get off of that cart and run down and just squeeze him. It was just great.”

That particular parade took its toll on Parton, who is still grieving her longtime love. 

“I got very emotional that day after the parade because there was just so much love like that,” she explained. “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.” 

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Parton has shared her love for Dean publicly multiple times since his death. 

“I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old. We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together,” Parton shared on Instagram in March. “Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story.”

Parton also dedicated her new song “If You Hadn’t Been There” to Dean. 

Several weeks after Dean’s death, Parton told Knox News, “I’m doing better than I thought I would. 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.”