Carl Dean, the long-time husband of country music legend Dolly Parton, passed away on Monday at the age of 82. Dean, known for keeping a low profile throughout his almost 60-year marriage to Parton, died in Nashville, Tennessee. Parton paid tribute to their relationship on social media, expressing her gratitude for the love they shared over the years.

Parton and Dean first met in 1964 outside a laundromat in Nashville, where Parton had just moved to pursue her singing career. Their private wedding ceremony took place two years later in Ringgold, Georgia. Dean chose to focus on his asphalt-paving business in Nashville and stayed away from the public eye. Despite his low profile, he had a significant impact on Parton’s work, inspiring her classic hit “Jolene.”

“Jolene” was inspired by a bank teller who had developed a crush on Dean. Parton described the song as an innocent, yet amusing tale of Dean’s time spent at the bank while Parton had her doubts about the money they possessed. The couple’s relationship was so private that rumors circulated claiming Dean didn’t even exist. Parton responded to these rumors with humor, joking that he was just a fictional character she created. Parton and Dean had no children together, and he leaves behind his siblings, Sandra and Donnie.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c241vp9yv1mo