Dolly Parton Releases Tribute Song For Her Late Husband

Dolly and Carl

Dolly Parton has released an emotional new song titled "If You Hadn’t Been There" as a heartfelt goodbye to her late husband, Carl Thomas Dean, who passed away last Monday at the age of 82. The couple had been together for nearly 60 years, having married on May 30, 1966, after meeting outside a Nashville laundromat in 1964 when Parton was 18 and Dean was 21. 

Dean, a private man who ran an asphalt-paving business, largely stayed out of the public eye during Parton’s rise to stardom, yet he remained a constant source of support and inspiration in her life.

The song serves as a musical tribute to their enduring love, capturing the depth of their bond through tender lyrics and Parton’s signature emotive delivery. In "If You Hadn’t Been There," she sings, “If you hadn’t been there / Where would I be? / Without your trust, love, and belief,” reflecting on how Dean’s presence shaped her life and career. The track begins as a gentle piano ballad and builds into a powerful orchestral climax, with lines like “You made me dream / More than I dared / And I wouldn’t be here / If you hadn’t been there,” underscoring his role as her rock and muse. The single’s cover art features a throwback photo of Parton wrapping her arms around Dean, symbolizing their closeness, with their signatures and the equation "Dolly + Carl = [Love]" beneath it.

Parton announced the release on Instagram, writing, “I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old. We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.” This message came shortly after a “love note” she shared on March 6, thanking fans, friends, and family for their support following Dean’s death: “Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers that you’ve sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl. … He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you.”