Dolly Parton’s Husband Was a ‘Fish Out of Water’ in a Rare Public Appearance
Dolly Parton has been married to her husband, Carl Dean, for decades, a truth that may come as a surprise to some. Parton’s husband does not join her on red carpets or at shows — few pictures of him are even publicly available. Early in Parton’s career, though, Dean joined her at an industry event. According to those in attendance, Dean was visibly uncomfortable with being there.
Dolly Parton’s husband was visibly uncomfortable at an industry event
In the 1960s, Parton received an award at the BMI Awards Dinner, and Dean accompanied her to the ceremony. Both of them were nervous about the event.
“I was very excited, because I’d never been [to an awards dinner] before,” she said, per the book Dolly by Alanna Nash. “Carl said he’d go with me. That was the first time he’d been to any industry function with me, and it was the last. I was really nervous, but Carl was worse off than I was.”
Dean didn’t know anybody and was highly uncomfortable. According to one attendee, his discomfort was clear to everyone in the room.
“Carl made himself very, very scarce after he brought Dolly, and I can see why,” the attendee said. “The man was completely uncomfortable … I don’t think she wanted him hanging around and meeting a bunch of music people that he had nothing in common with. I wouldn’t say it was embarrassing to her, but he was like a fish out of water.”
Dolly Parton’s husband told her he didn’t want to go to more events like this
After the ceremony, Dean told Parton that he couldn’t accompany her to further events. While he supported her career, he didn’t feel he fit into that part of her world.
“He really felt out of place that night,” Parton said. “So after we got home, he said, ‘Now I know this is what you want for your life, and I’m proud for you because I want you to have it if it makes you happy. But it doesn’t make me happy, and I don’t want to be part of it. I’m just too uncomfortable. It’s not me, and I can’t get involved in it.’”
Dean told her that he would tell her if he ever really wanted to go to another event.
He said, ‘If anything ever comes up in your business that I want to go to I’ll tell you, but otherwise, don’t ask me to go because I don’t want to be obligated, and I don’t want to feel I’m going to disappoint you when I say no,’” she said. “Well, that was eleven years ago, and he hasn’t asked to go to anything since, and I haven’t asked him, so it’s worked out fine.”
She has described him as a loner
Parton explained that part of the reason Dean felt so out of place was because he is a “loner.” He didn’t care to schmooze with people he may never see again.
“My husband is a loner,” Parton told People. “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.”
Despite this, Parton said Dean is funny and charming with the people in his inner circle.
