What did Carl Dean do for a living? All about Dolly Parton’s husband as he passes away

Carl Dean, a businessman best known as the husband of legendary singer, Dolly Parton, has passed away. According to a statement, Dean, who was 82, will be laid to rest in a private ceremony, attended by his closest family members. The cause of death has not yet been released.

Carl Dean was known for avoiding the spotlight even in Dolly's early career years. Reports indicate that Dean operated an asphalt-laying business in Nashville.

Dolly Parton, 79, announced her husband's passing on Instagram. She shared:

"Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy."

The statement also read:

He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He was survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie. The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time.”

The 9 to 5 singer met Dean outside a laundromat shortly after moving to Nashville to pursue her music career. In a 2008 interview, she recalled their fateful encounter, saying:

"I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me). He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about."

The pair married two years later, on 30 May 1966, with only Dolly Parton's mother and a priest in attendance. The couple renewed their wedding vows in 2016, to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

In an interview with E! News, Dolly Parton shared that Carl Dean was not interested in fame or glamor, and she was always the star in his eyes.

She said,

"To have someone in your corner, who loves you for just who you are, not what you do, not what other people think you are, and they know you for who you are. There is a great comfort in knowing someone loves you for exactly who you are. He fell in love with me before I became a star. To him, I am his star."

One of Dolly's biggest hits, Jolene was inspired by her late husband and a flirtatious bank employee. Recalling the inspiration behind the song, she said:

"She got this terrible crush on my husband. And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us — when I was saying, 'Hell, you're spending a lot of time at the bank. I don't believe we've got that kind of money.' So it's really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one."

Everything we know about Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean

Carl Thomas Dean was born in 1942 to Edgar Allen Dean and Virginia "Ginny" Bates. In a rare 2016 interview with Entertainment Tonight, he reflected on the moment he first met the country singer.

"My first thought was 'I'm gonna marry that girl. My second thought was, 'Lord she’s good lookin. And that was the day my life began. I wouldn't trade the last 50 years for nothing on this earth."

Dolly Parton has often shared that her husband cherished his privacy.

“He doesn’t particularly care about being around anybody but me. He’s just always asked me to leave him out of all this. He does not like all the hullabaloo.” she said in an interview with People Magazine.

Dolly Parton's album, Rockstar, released in 2023, was influenced by Carl's passion for rock and roll music. Carl Dean is survived by his wife and two siblings, Sandra and Donnie.