What’s Dolly Parton’s Secret to Her 58-Year Marriage?
By Movieguide® Contributor
Dolly Parton is sharing the secrets to her successful 58-year marriage to husband Carl Dean.
“He’s quiet and I’m loud, and we’re funny,” the country singer said during an appearance on the “Dumb Blonde” podcast. “Oh, he’s hilarious. And I think one of the things that’s made it last so long through the years is that we love each other [and] we respect each other, but we have a lot of fun.”
Parton continued, “We never fought back and forth. And I’m glad now that we never did, because once you start that, that becomes a lifetime thing. I’ve seen it with so many people, and I thought, ‘I ain’t ever starting that.’ I couldn’t bear to think that he’d say something I couldn’t take…because I’m a very sensitive person toward other people and myself.”
A big part of their relationship is compromise, especially when it comes to attending entertainment industry events.
“He loves music, but he’s not the least bit interested in being in it. And he told me that right up front,” Parton laughed.
She finally got him to attend an awards show with her in 1967, but after they got home, Dean told her, “Look, now I want you to do everything you want to do, and I wish you the best, but don’t ever ask me to go to another one of these…things because I ain’t going.”
“He was a homebody, and that worked well for us,” Parton explained. “He loved to go places, if we were going to drive cross-country or if we had planned a thing. But, boy, he could never wait to get home. He wanted to be around home, and I’m a gypsy by nature. I just love to go and love to see what else is out there. But, I think.. that’s worked well for us.”
Parton elaborated on their relationship in a 2018 interview with PEOPLE, saying, “I always joke and laugh when people ask me what’s the key to my long marriage and lasting love. I always say ‘Stay gone!’ and there’s a lot of truth to that. I travel a lot, but we really enjoy each other when we’re together and the little things we do.”
READ MORE: DOLLY PARTON ON MARRIAGE TO CARL THOMAS DEAN: ‘FIND YOU A PARTNER WHO WILL SUPPORT YOU’
“We usually stay home and make something special,” she said, adding that sometimes they go to “comfortable” places like “McDonalds [or] Mexican restaurants.”
“He loves Mexican food, period. But we go, we’ll go sit in a booth, if it’s an anniversary or just sometimes on a Saturday,” Parton continued. “We know where to go before the crowd comes. He doesn’t like big crowds.”
READ MORE: DOLLY PARTON REVEALS HOW SHE MAINTAINS HER 54-YEAR MARRIAGE
