Dolly Parton's husband Carl Dean died at the age of 82 on March 3 of this year which the singer said left a "hole in my heart"
08:07, 30 Dec 2025Updated 09:14, 30 Dec 2025
Dolly Parton has been hit 'so hard' with grief following the death of her husband Carl Dean that friends have aired their concern for the singer. Her beloved partner Dean died at the age of 82 on March 3 of this year.
It has been said since that the huge loss has left a "hole" in Dolly's heart after being married for so long. Some believe she is struggling to move on from the devastating news and friends are worried for the bereft Country star.
Parton filmed a pre-recorded segment when she received an honorary Oscar at the Governor's Ball which some were also concerned with. The star was set to receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the ceremony, but she cancelled her in-person appearance and ended up accepting the honor virtually instead.
Radar Online reported that a source said: "She's desperately trying to rally herself back to work, but it is very difficult. The loss is hitting her so hard. Her friends are very worried."
They added that her husband's death has "knocked the wind right out of her". Dolly also postponed her Las Vegas residency due to her own health challenges that required her to undergo several medical procedures.
Health issues also forced her to cancel a pre-scheduled trip to Dollywood back in September, with the star saying she needed to recover from a kidney stone.
When Dean died, Dolly described their relationship, saying they "spent many wonderful years together". She said: "Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy."
Dolly and Dean first crossed paths in Nashville in 1964 at a laundromat. They went on to tie the knot two years after their first encounter.
But both described the fateful meeting in 1964 as love at first sight in later interviews and they renewed their vows at their Nashville home in May 2016 to mark their 50th wedding anniversary.
Speaking on Zoe Ball's Radio 2 Breakfast Show two years ago, Parton described how their relationship stood the test of time.
"We've been together 59 [years], we dated two years, and then we just celebrated our 57th anniversary on May the 30th," she said.
"But I think so much of it is the fact that we are honest and open and we have a warped sense of humour! He is crazy, he is so funny and clever. And I have a great sense of humor from both sides of my family so I think the humor has always been good."
She added: "There's the respect and the love and I just like him! You know, I would have liked him if he wasn't my husband, if he was somebody else's husband I say, 'You know that Carl Dean, ain't he funny? Ain't he a good guy?', so think it's just that mutual respect and we just like each other.
"If I ask him if he likes my hair – 'too stringy for me" or "it looks too important' - you know like if it's too stiff... he always calls it that, 'It looks too important', but I know if I ask him - he won't just volunteer it - but if I ask him he'll tell me the truth."
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