Dolly Parton has already established herself as a multi-talented country artist. In fact, she wears several hats in the entertainment industry as a producer, author, businesswoman, actress, philanthropist, and as an award-winning musician. Even more intriguing is the long-lasting marriage she shares with her better half, Carl Dean.

Theirs is an extraordinary marriage, in that they’ve managed to merge the best of both worlds. Parton is a public figure with most aspects of her life known, but Dean chooses to stay away from the spotlight. Recently, Parton has been opening up more about what makes their marriage last. Take a deep dive into the life of America’s iconic sweetheart!

Caught Between Her Label & Her Wedding

A wedding means much more than two people coming together. It also symbolizes the joining of two families, and the Partons and Deans were excited to welcome each side of their own. Sadly, Parton’s career somewhat deflated their joy as she had to adhere to rules set out by Monument Records on how her big day should play out.

Parton was just about to release Hello, I’m Dolly, her debut album, and her label didn’t want the wedding to distract her efforts. Parton was caught in the middle. She wanted to maintain the image they had helped her cultivate. However, she also wanted to have her dream wedding.

A Look Behind The Curtains

Carl Dean, the man who swept Parton off her feet, isn’t your typical Hollywood spouse. You would expect him to have garnered some semblance of fame by being married to Parton. Yet, the man is rarely seen by her side. Not to say that he hasn’t been there providing his support behind the scenes.

More than five decades into their union, and we are just learning some details about their union. Their marriage hasn’t been a bed of roses from what we gather through Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton. Her 2017 book gives us a look behind the curtain, revealing how they made it last.

Romance Brewed At The Laundromat

After high school, Parton set out to Nashville, and the stars aligned in her favor. While she was getting a footing in the music industry, her love life was also looking up. A handsome stranger she bumped into at the laundromat would end up being her husband.

He didn’t shy off from sharing his concern that the revealing clothes she had on that day would leave her with a bad case of sunburn. Parton took notice that his gaze was on her face when they were talking, and it wasn’t hard for them to hit it off.

Looking Beyond The Surface

For a woman who has curves and embraced them by showing them off, Parton was used to receiving advances. In fact, her public image has always been heavily pegged on her ample bosom. Parton also admitted to having cosmetic procedures to maintain her looks.

She found it refreshing that Dean had taken notice of her as an individual beyond her looks. She was both surprised and intrigued by that first encounter as they chatted away. She explained that it was rare for her to make such a connection, and she loved the fact that he was genuinely interested in knowing her.

Life On The Fast Track

Parton was 19 at the time, while Dean was 21, and they had the whole world ahead of them. They were inseparable after their chance meeting at the laundromat. Parton’s career was on a fast track by then, and she was penning down some of the greatest hits under Combine Publishing.

She signed with Monument Records when she was at that age, like a bubblegum pop artist. Her uncredited harmony on Billy Philips Put It Off Until Tomorrow convinced her label to let her go country. In 1967, she was working on her debut album, and to her executives, there wasn’t anything more important than getting her album out as scheduled.

Love At First Sight

The other side of the story gives us a different perspective on their first encounter. According to Dean, it played out much like the makings of a great country song. He was driving by the Wishy-Washy Laundromat in his pickup when his gaze fell on Parton.

He shared during an interview with O, The Oprah Magazine that his first thought was that he was going to marry her. He admitted that he thought that she looked incredibly great, and he just had to talk to her. He added that it was the day that his life truly began.

Life Didn’t Get In The Way

On their first date, they went to a McDonald’s drive-through for some food. Parton explained that there were few places they could frequent without being bothered. She also liked that Dean enjoyed going places where he felt comfortable

He soon enlisted in 1964 after their meet up. They kept in touch and didn’t let life get in the way of their love. Two years later, Dean had completed his military service, and he popped the big question. That’s when their relationship faced its first hurdle brought about by Parton’s rising career.

An Act Of Defiance

Parton and Dean were ready to walk down the aisle, but her label wanted her to give it a year. She explained that she understood their point of view because they had invested a lot of money in her career.

At the same time, it was heartbreaking to Dean’s mother to hear that they would have to wait a year before they could tie the knot. They decided to go against the label’s request to follow their heart’s desire. They had to figure out how to keep everything under wraps because that’s how they wanted their relationship to remain.

Their Biggest Fan

During an interview with Country Music Television (CMT), Parton vividly recalled the moments when she was getting ready to walk down the aisle. When they shared the news about their engagement with Dean’s folks, his mother was beyond elated. She wanted to be involved in the planning process and see them have a huge ceremony.

Dean’s sister, their only daughter, had eloped. Therefore, they never had the chance to witness one of their children get married. Unfortunately, that wasn’t how things would unfold, and it would leave Dean’s mother heartbroken all over again.

Eloping In Georgia

Parton and Dean were set on exchanging vows, and they figured that they could do it quietly. They crossed state lines and headed down to Ringold, Georgia so that they could shake off the media. Fortunately, they had a loved one with them, Parton’s mother.

Memorial Day 1966 remains a special day for them because that’s when they decided to solidify their union. Even though they had decided to elope, she knew one thing for sure. She didn’t want to get hitched at the courthouse. Parton still wanted a traditional experience out of it.

A Mother’s Gift

It wasn’t until 2016 when Parton talked to CMT that we found out more details about her nuptials. They managed to find a small Baptist church where they could have their ceremony. They talked to the pastor, Don Duvall, who agreed to marry them.

Parton’s mother made her a bouquet as well as the white dress she wore for the occasion. After the ceremony, they posed for photos outside the church. The ceremony was less than what they had envisioned for their big day, but they still have fond memories about the day.

Staying Away From The Spotlight

Parton’s profile in the country scene only continued to rise. She had just released the singles Dumb Blonde and Something Fishy. Parton recounted that they attended an industry event together when Put It Off Until Tomorrow earned her a songwriting award.

Dean suited up in a tux for the event and even walked the red carpet with Parton. After the dinner, he candidly told her that he was happy for her, but it would be the last of such events for him. True to his word, we are yet to see him grace another red carpet event with Parton.

Supportive Through And Through

While Parton met Dean when her career was just taking off, there was a time when her future seemed bleak. She didn’t grow up with the proverbial silver spoon in her mouth. She grew up in Tennessee, and she shared a one-room cabin with her family.

She recorded her very first song at 13, and she always held on to the dream of breaking into the entertainment industry. Dean supported her throughout, and they even delayed their honeymoon so that she wouldn’t skip out on her commitments. Parton appreciates the fact that he never tried to make her quit the industry.

A Rocky Start

Revisiting Parton’s childhood, she had 11 siblings and her parents were small-time farmers. She recounted that after her birth her parents couldn’t pay the physician and instead offered him a bag of cornmeal.

Her father, Lee Parton, had to also work construction jobs so that he could supplement the income he earned from their small tobacco farm. She’s also said that her father might have been illiterate, but she considers him the smartest person she ever knew. Her mother, Avie Lee Caroline, was a homemaker often plagued by health issues. Yet, she still managed to tend to their family of 14.

Finding Her Voice

On top of being cramped up in a single-room cabin, Parton explained that the difficulties they faced growing up didn’t end there. They didn’t have running water or power supply. They turned to religion and music as an escape, and that’s how Parton’s passion started.

She discovered her voice while singing in church, much like the majority of other country stars, but she had to fight harder to chase after her dream of making it big. She also drew inspiration from her mother who would keep her children entertained with mountain folklore and songs.

Her Father’s Daughter

Parton has always credited her mother’s family for nurturing her musical abilities, and her father for instilling in her a high level of business acumen. Her family moved to the Locust Ridge region, where she says she had most of her cherished memories.

In fact, several of the songs she’s written talk about her family life growing up. They include My Tennessee Mountain Home and Coat of Many Colors. When she lost her father in 2000, she celebrated him in the best way she knew. She penned a heartfelt tribute for the man who nearly broke his back just so he could provide for his family.

The “Dinner Bucket”

Parton has shared extensive memories about her father, including how they would always fight to wash his feet whenever he got back home. They appreciated how hard he worked, and they knew that what he needed at the end of the day was to have his feet rubbed with some corn silk lotion.

Her other fond memory about her dad was his “dinner bucket.” He would carry with him a green tin lunchbox to work every single day. Despite the hard labor, he endured to make ends meet, he still sacrificed part of his lunch to take back home for the kids.

Music In Her Soul

Parton’s folks recognized the musical talent their daughter had quite early, and they helped nurture it by encouraging her to play a homemade guitar at the age of seven. The first song she wrote was inspired by her everyday life with her corncob doll serving as the subject.

The Smoky Mountains region where they lived was predominantly Pentecostal. They attended the Church of God and Jake Robert Owens, her grandfather, was their pastor. Parton started performing when she was six years old, and all of her earliest performances were at their church.

Sowing Seeds Of Hope

Parton holds on to moments from her childhood that played an integral role in leading her to her present career. They didn’t have a TV set at home, which was a luxury just a few wealthy households in the affluent areas enjoyed back in the ‘50s.

However, their father brought home a battery which allowed them to huddle around the radio listening to country music. She received her very first real guitar at the age of eight, a gift from her uncle. She began performing on local radio and a couple of TV programs when she was about ten.

Her Family Rallied Behind Her

Parton’s Uncle Bill Owens, from her mother’s side, was the one who encouraged her to consider a career in music. She recalled taking a 30-hour bus ride with Rena Owens, her grandmother, to the Louisiana-based Goldband Records.

That was when she recorded Puppy Love, her first single for a radio station. She holds onto the memory, as well as the harsh conditions they endured. They had to sleep in her uncle’s car during the trip. Regardless, it’s one of the moments that got the ball rolling and led her steps closer to her dream.

On The Radio

Hearing a song she had written and recorded play on the radio was a thrilling experience for Parton. She said that the first time she heard the song play on the radio, she nearly slipped while mopping making a beeline for the radio to turn the volume up.

The upbeat and relatable song recounted the ups and downs of young love, and on Side B was the single Girl Left Alone. Parton and her uncle Bill Owens and her aunt Dorothy Jo Owens wrote Girl Left Alone, and in 1959, Goldband Records released the album featuring both songs.

Winds Of Change

Parton also recounted that their poverty-stricken childhood meant that they had to bathe in the river. When winter came around and it was too cold, things got tougher. However, the winds would always come with change, and such tough days didn’t last.

Parton had the opportunity of featuring in The Cas Walker Show and she also met Johnny Cash on her first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. Cash encouraged her to pursue her own passion and instincts when it came to her career. She eventually moved to Nashville and found success as a songwriter.

Building A Public Image

Parton’s appearance is a big part of her public image and the over-the-top looks she goes for could have a thing with the deprivation she faced in her youth. However, she inherited some of her style from her mother.

Parton explained that her mother’s guilty pleasure was flipping through catalogs and she would always be there by her side. She said that the “wishbooks” made her long for fancy clothes and to basically look pretty. That’s why when she could, she dressed up and up to date she still places emphasis on her appearance.

Dressing Up

In fact, she started back in her school days painting her lips red to shake up her look. Only that she used a chemical that was near impossible to rub off when she was younger. She was also quite the social butterfly in school and her stunning looks had a lot to do with it.

She was, and still is, a huge fan of hairspray, and that’s what she would buy with her earnings during her youth. She styled her locks up in a bouffant, and in her own words, she paired the look with tight-fitting outfits that she could barely wriggle out of.

Life’s Luxuries

When the money started trickling in as Parton’s career continued its meteoric rise, she started investing in life’s luxuries. However, one purchase she made that she still holds dear to her heart was buying her childhood home.

She knew that she wanted to preserve its rustic charm and preserve it in its original form as much as possible. However, it still needed an update and Parton didn’t hesitate pouring millions into the project. One particular element that spruced the place up was making the bathroom appear as if it was an outdoor toilet.

Her Own Theme Park

Parton has charted 110 singers over the last four decades, and 41 of her albums have featured in the top 10 spots in the country charts. It’s contributed to her $600 million net worth, most of which she has poured into multiple business ventures.

She’s amongst the few musicians in America who can boast of owning a theme park. We are referring to Dollywood, which receives an estimated 3 million visitors each year. The theme park also features a roller coaster, although Parton isn’t too fond of them. She told USA Today that a ride on a roller coaster would be disastrous because she has too much to lose—like her hair for instance.

Dolly’s Ink

Like the best of the best, Parton has sparked rumors over the years. There was that time people claimed that every inch of her body is covered by tattoos. Well, it isn’t her entire body, just segments where she got some ink to cover scars and other blemishes.

She told ABC News that whenever she gets some work done and she’s left with scars as well as the purplish look, she resorts to body art as a way of hiding them. She mostly goes for flowers and butterflies, but she doesn’t exactly display her tattoos.