Dolly Parton Releases Ballad Dedicated to Late Husband Carl Dean: 'I Wouldn't Be Here, if You Hadn't Been There'
Dolly Parton has released a new song in tribute to her late husband, Carl Dean, who died on March 3 at the age of 82.
The country music icon released the heartfelt ballad "If You Hadn't Been There" on Friday. She shared a touching message on Instagram alongside the cover photo for her new single, which featured a photograph of the couple.
"I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old," Parton wrote in her Instagram post. "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."
The lyrics to the song reflects on their nearly six decades of marriage: "If you hadn't been there, where would I be / Without your trust, love, and belief / 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."
Parton and Dean's relationship began after the pair met outside a Wishy Washy Laundromat on her first day in Nashville. Parton, then 18, arrived in the city to pursue her music career when Dean, then 21, drove by and called out to her.
The couple quickly grew close, with Dean visiting Parton at her aunt and uncle's house, where she was staying. After two years of dating, they married on May 30, 1966, in a private ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia. Only Parton's mother, the preacher, and the preacher's wife attended the ceremony.
Throughout their nearly six-decade marriage, Dean remained a supportive but private figure. He inspired some of her most successful works, including "Jolene," "Just Because I'm a Woman," and "From Here to the Moon and Back."
Dean will be interred in a private ceremony with immediate family.
