Dolly Parton Dedicates New Song, ‘If You Hadn’t Been There’ To Late Husband, Carl Dean
This song is a reflection of the true love shared between the couple throughout their 60 years together.
Dolly Parton, Carl Dean; Photo Courtesy Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is paying tribute to her late husband of over 58 years, Carl Dean, with a heartfelt new song detailing the immense amount of love shared between them.
The country music icon dropped “If You Hadn’t Been There” just a few days after Dean’s passing was announced to the world. On Monday (March 3), she shared a statement that read, “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” Parton said. “Words can’t do justice for the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”
Today, Parton opens her heart like never before, reflecting on the profound impact Dean had on her life and how different things might have been without him by her side for so many years.
With every tender note, her iconic vocals ring out, filled with emotions as she honors his unwavering support and care over the years, calling him her “rock” through all the good times and bad.
“I wouldn’t be here/ If you hadn’t been there/ Holding my hand/ Showing you care/ You made me dream/ More than I dared/ And I wouldn’t be here/ If you hadn’t been there,” Parton sings on the first chorus.
Alongside the arrival of the tune, Parton opened up about her everlasting love for her husband in a poignant message about their six decades together. She explained that even though he’s no longer physically present, he will always be with her.
“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.”
Dean was 82 years old when he passed away. The cause of his death is unknown. According to the original post, he will soon be laid to rest in a private ceremony with only immediate family in attendance. He is survived by his siblings, Sandra and Donnie.
Parton later shared another message which she declared to be a “love note” to all the family, friends and fans who have offered their sincere condolences during this difficult time. She expressed true gratitude for their kindness.
She wrote, “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. I can’t reach out personally to each of you but just know it has meant the world to me. He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you.”
Parton, her family, and Dean’s family are asking for privacy during this difficult time.
Dolly Parton and Carl Dean met when Dolly was just 18 years old. She was a new Nashville resident at the time and was doing laundry at the Wishy Washy Laundromat when Dean, who was 21, drove by in his truck. After catching his attention, he passed by the establishment again and stopped to warn her about the risk of getting a sunburn in her skimpy outfit.
“I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me),” Parton wrote on her website. “He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.”
Dean knew he had to get to know Parton the moment he laid eyes on her.
“My first thought was I’m gonna marry that girl,” Dean shared in 2016. “My second thought was, ‘Lord she’s good lookin.’ And that was the day my life began.”
The lovebirds were together for two years before tying the knot in an intimate ceremony on May 30, 1966. They said “I Do” in a small church, with only Parton’s mother, Avie Lee, and the preacher and his wife as witnesses.
The “9 To 5” singer began to grow in popularity, but Dean preferred to stay out of the spotlight. He came to this realization after attending a high-profile industry event later that year in accompaniment of Parton who was honored with a songwriting award for the Bill Phillips hit “Put It Off Until Tomorrow.”
“This was my first big record,” Parton recalled. “It went to No. 1 for Bill, and it was BMI’s Song of the Year. So Carl and I got dressed up, he was in a tux, and we drove to the dinner. We got out and walked up the red carpet and went inside and sat through dinner and the awards. After the dinner, Carl turned to me and said, ‘Dolly, I want you to have everything you want, and I’m happy for you, but don’t you ever ask me to go to another one of them dang things again!’”
After that, the pair kept their relationship largely out of the public eye. So while Parton’s fame soared, Dean was perfectly content living his normal life and running his asphalt-paving business.
In recent years, Parton revealed that Dean was facing some health issues and admitted that he is the main reason why she stopped touring.
“I don’t tour anymore,” she told Pollstar. “I’ve got so many business things I’m doing. And my husband and I are getting older — he’s a little older than I am — and I kind of need to be with him.”
Dolly Parton’s latest release is not just a song but a beautiful reminder of their love that will never fade.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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