Dolly Parton “Loses” Husband Carl Dean #FeelingFriday

Source: YouTube

Dolly Parton recently lost her husband Carl Dean after spending sixty years together. They have a love story that as she says, “never ends” … “he will always be the star of my life story.”

Through the years, Dolly often talked about the strength of their relationship and about how although she would travel, he was always there at home supporting her career. They had an unshakable bond that was built on not only love, but on mutual respect and admiration.

I teared up when I heard about Carl’s passing, because while I have followed Dolly’s career through the years I have also followed their relationship because while they weren’t very public about their private life, she did talk about his undying support.

I can relate.

While we are no Dolly Parton and Carl Dean, my husband and I are very similar. A love story of not 60 but 27 years. Mutual respect and admiration. While I travel and work long hours for the career that supports our family, he is home supporting it all. Hands down, all of it. While I don’t write songs, I do write marketing plans, books, and blog posts! :)

In the title of this post, I put “loses” in quotation marks for a reason. Yes, Carl passed away. But the way she has talked about him since the day he passed, I’m not sure she thinks about losing him. She still has him, and always will. When you have such a force of love, that love doesn’t ever go away. It lives on beyond. Such an inspiring way to feel about it. And she carries him forward in music.

Dolly wrote a song to honor his passing … “If You Hadn’t Been There” and you just have to give it feel (and a listen) by clicking here. It clearly captures their relationship, in her words.

Dolly, you are beloved and I’m so happy that you have a life where you are beloved and supported at home as well, and always will be. That lifts us all up.

What’s your experience? JIM