Dolly Parton’s Husband Of Six Decades Doesn’t Even Like Country Music

Dolly Parton’s husband, Carl Dean certainly loves Dolly. But when it comes to her music, he would rather listen to just about anything else.

Dolly Parton has been a country music star since the mid-1960s. While she was initially marketed as a pop star, it was when one of the songs she wrote and sold to a label in Nashville recognized the potential Parton had in the country world instead. Given that the “9 to 5” singer is a product of East Tennessee who grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains with 11 siblings she is close to, country music had a special place in her heart. As such, it was a match made in heaven.

Another match made in heaven around the same time was Parton’s marriage to Carl Dean. While Dean knew that Parton was the one the moment he saw her, it took a bit longer for Parton to be head over heels for the main squeeze in her life. The two decided after being in a relationship for a couple of years that it was time to get married. Parton’s record label did not agree with the decision, believing it would stall her success if she was seen as a married woman rather than one that was single. Because of this, the two went across state lines to Georgia to get married, leaving no one the wiser in Tennessee.

Shortly after their marriage, Parton’s career took off. She became a bona fide country star and has not lost that title in nearly 60 years. But in that time, what the Jolene singer has not been able to do is convince Dean to enjoy the music she writes.

Carl Dean Doesn’t Like Country Music

While Dean grew up in Nashville, he was never a country music fan. He was a rock music fan through and through who could tolerate some bluegrass from time to time. If anyone were to get Dean to change his taste in music, who better than his country superstar wife?

But in the nearly sixty years that he has been surrounded by her music, his distaste for country never changed. And at this point, it never will.

“Country music was his least favorite, he was into hard rock,” Parton explained about Dean. “All of our lives, and we’ve been together almost 60 years, anytime I’m around him, in the house, in the car he’s always playing rock songs.”

This does not mean that Dean has ever tried to get Parton to change her style of music. Instead, he has supported her in everything she has done professionally, even if that means he does not want to listen to her songs.

“He doesn’t dislike it, he doesn’t go out of his way to play my records, let’s put it that way,” Parton stated.

Because of his unwavering support, Parton decided to make a rock album that was filled with Dean’s favorites. However, one of the songs was initially retooled to have a bluegrass feel to it. And while Dean has never questioned Parton’s take on music, this time around he had to voice his opinion.

“I actually chose a lot of his favorite songs to do [for this album] ‘Stairway to Heaven’ being one of them,” Parton explained on Absolute Radio Breakfast.

“I did a version of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ some years back as a bluegrass kind of thing, and he didn’t think I should have done it. And he said, are you sure that’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ or stairwell to hell?”

“Stairway to Heaven” was eventually recut as a rock song, and Dean loved it. But do not expect him to watch Parton perform it live anytime soon, given that he is nervous every time the “Islands in the Stream” singer sets foot on stage.

Carl Dean Gets Nervous When Dolly Parton Goes On Stage

After years in the spotlight and performing live, it takes quite a bit to get Parton nervous when she takes the stage, be it in long sleeves or in gloves. However, the same cannot be said for Dean. That is because even to this day, he still gets nervous at the thought of Parton performing. And as a result, very rarely watches her live.

He’s proud of me,” Parton explained. “And he loves that I love what I do. I think it’s just…it’s a touchy subject. I’m like his little girl, I think. He just worries about that.”

But if Parton happens to be performing at a state fair, Dean may just show up. But, that is only if the tractor pull is over as “he loves to go to the tractor pull.”

Parton went on to explain, “For years and years he would never come to the shows because he felt like he’d get nervous if I messed up, so he never wanted to watch it. The first time he saw me perform and that I was in control of the stage, he was ok.”

While Dean has no problem watching Parton take “control of the stage” and thrive in the spotlight, that is a life he wants nothing to do with. Because of this, Dean is rarely seen with Parton given the amount of time she is in the public eye.

Carl Dean Prefers To Stay Out Of Dolly Parton’s Spotlight

Dean has attended just one award show with Parton at the beginning of the Here You Come Again singer’s career. And it was when that night came to a close that Dean realized he wanted nothing to do with the spotlight. So, Parton has worked hard to allow Dean his privacy and secretive life, while remaining a public figure.

It has not always been easy but has allowed the two to have a happy long-lasting committed marriage as a result.

“He said, ‘I didn’t choose this world, I chose you, and you chose that world,” Parton explained. “‘But we can keep our lives separate and together.’ And we do and we have. We’ve been together 56 years, married 54.”

Parton went on to say, “A lot of people have thought that [he doesn’t exist] through the years, because he does not want to be in the spotlight at all. It’s just not who he is. He’s like, a quiet, reserved person.”

According to Parton, Dean “figured if he ever got out there in that, he’d never get a minute’s peace.” And not skipping a beat, Parton concluded, “And he’s right about that.”

While Parton and Dean are the epitome of opposites attracting, the love that the two share is something that is found once in a lifetime. It is through love and respect that the two have made it nearly 60 years of being together, in spite of the fact that Dean wants nothing to do with the professional life full of adoring fans that is Dolly Parton.