Dolly Parton Reflects on Life After Husband Carl Dean’s Death with Faith and Strength

Dolly Parton has always been a shining light in country music. Her voice, her songs, her sparkle. But behind the glitter and the big hair is a woman who’s grieving someone she deeply loved.

Carl Dean, Dolly’s husband of almost 60 years, passed away in March at 82. He was the quiet to her bold. The calm to her bright. And even though he stayed out of the spotlight, he was always right there in her world.

Faith Keeps Her Going

Dolly’s first gospel album, Golden Streets of Glory, came out in 1971. It was filled with spiritual songs like “I Believe” and “Lord Hold My Hand.” That same faith still holds her up today.

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“I truly believe I’m going to see him again someday,” she said. Dolly says she feels him around her all the time. In the memories, in their home, in everything they built together. But she admits the hardest part is figuring out how to move forward.

Turning Grief Into Energy

Instead of slowing down, Dolly is putting her energy into projects. Her late husband always supported her work. He was proud of her. He knew she loved staying busy and creating.

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So now she’s keeping his memory alive by pushing forward. That’s how she’s coping. “I’ll keep him ever-present in everything that I do,” she said. And that’s exactly what she’s doing.

From Baking to Frozen Meals

You’ve probably seen Dolly’s baking mixes with Duncan Hines. Now she’s launching a line of frozen Southern meals with Conagra Brands. Single-serve comfort food, straight from her Tennessee roots.

She calls it another dream that’s grown from an old dream. “It’s like a tree with lots of limbs and leaves,” she says. Every branch leads to something new.

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A New Book and a Musical

Dolly has a new book coming soon. It’s called Star of the Show. It’s not just a song title, it’s the name of her upcoming book about life on the road. She shares the behind-the-scenes stories from years of performing, traveling, and meeting people.

But that’s not all. Her life story is also being turned into a stage musical called Dolly: An Original Musical. She’s writing brand new songs for it, along with the hits fans love. It will premiere at the Fisher Center at Belmont University before heading to Broadway next year.

Dollywood Turns 40

Dolly had a dream to build a theme park. And 40 years later, Dollywood is still going strong. To celebrate, they even put a big “Dollywood” sign on a hill like the Hollywood one. It’s something she always joked about. Now it’s real.

She laughs, saying it feels like it all happened just a few years ago. But she knows time has flown. “I was with Carl for 60 years, and Dollywood’s 40 years old. And that’s hard to believe because I’m only 27,” she said with a laugh.

She Never Called Herself a Superstar

Dolly doesn’t see herself as a superstar. Not even after decades of awards, records, and fame. She still thinks of herself as a “workin’ girl.” She says, “I’m a workhorse that looks like a show horse.”

Carl always told her she was born to be a star. And maybe he was right. But Dolly has always kept things real. She plays, she dreams, she works hard. And even in her darkest moments, she keeps going.

Dolly Parton’s story isn’t just about music. It’s about love, loss, faith, and strength.