Carl Thomas Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband, does not bare his face to just anybody.
Reba McEntire, Parton’s friend and another country music star, stated on a recent edition of SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live that she had never met Dean in person, despite meeting the “Jolene” singer in the 1970s.
The matter arose when the Happy’s Place singer, 69, told Cohen she’d “never” tasted Parton’s meal since the Tennessee native had “never invited” McEntire to her home.
“Have you ever met Carl?” questioned the 56-year-old Watch What Happens Live presenter.
“No. “Have you,” McEntire said.
Cohen claimed he had not met Dean, 82, but “people really do swear he exists.”
“Yeah,” said the “fancy” musician. “I noticed something the other day. They were camping, and she and Carl returned to where they had married.”
Parton and Dean first met in 1964, began dating shortly after, and got married in 1966. She persistently talks about their relationship, despite his infrequent photography and lack of attendance at public events.
Last year, on an episode of Parton’s Apple Music 1 show What Would Dolly Do? Radio, she discussed Dean’s desire to remain private. “Carl has never been in the limelight, and he never wanted to be. “He doesn’t like it,” she explained at the time.
The “Here You Come Again” singer explained, “He went to one thing with me early on, when we first married, to a BMI Song of the Year [event], and he came out of there taking off his tuxedo, tie, and everything and said, ‘Don’t ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things because I ain’t going.’ I never asked him, and he never responded.”
Parton praised her spouse as “very honest” and stated, “We have such a great relationship.” I know not to question him unless I want an honest response.”
Earlier that year, she called Dean a “loner” in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “He’s kind of a loner, so he doesn’t really like being with anybody but me,” she told me.
“He’s not one to get out there and socialize that much,” Parton told me. “He loves living on the farm, taking care of the property as he has for all these many years.”