It’s fair to say that Dolly Parton has been at the top of her game for decades now. The music legend has 49 studio albums, a string of Hall of Fame honours, nearly 190 awards and countless performances under her glittery belt.
It follows, therefore, that she should have an entourage following her every move. And that she does – it just doesn’t include her husband of over 50 years.
Dolly married Carl Dean in 1966, and the pair have together ever since. But, in the final episode of her Apple Music show What Would Dolly Do? Radio, the Jolene singer explained exactly why her spouse isn’t one for the red carpet, despite her own astronomical fame.
“Carl has never been in the limelight at all, never wanted to be in it. He don’t like it. He went to one thing with me early on, when we first married, to a BMI Song of the Year [event],” she explained, before adding that Carl’s experience wasn’t exactly positive.
She continued: “He came out there taking off his tuxedo, his tie and all that 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 did.”
Speaking elsewhere on the same episode, Dolly also said that the pair’s relationship works very well – in their own way.
Miley Cyrus’ godmother explained that if she doesn’t want an “honest answer” about her work, she simply doesn’t ask her husband.
“He’s very honest,” Dolly said. “We have such a great relationship. I know not to ask him if I don’t want an honest answer.”
Elaborating further, she added that when she played him her latest album – Rockstar – he told her that it was “pretty good”.
“That would be like anybody else saying, ‘Oh, that’s best I ever heard. That’s just so fantastic’,” she clarified.
Dolly also offered fans a sneak peek at where in the musical world she’d be heading, after her foray into rock.
“One of the things I want to do next and to leave for my legacy is that ultimate great gospel album, and done up in the same way that I’ve done this rock album,” Dolly said.
“Really great productions, whether they be small or large, and to bring in some of the great people that have grown up in the gospel field or some of the people that are famous in the gospel field,” she said.
“To do that great uplifting album … gospel might not be the right word, although we will do gospel in it, but more uplifting, inspirational songs. I want to leave that behind.”
Rockstar by Dolly Parton is due to be released on Friday 17 November.