Dolly Parton, known for her work in country music, has been married to her husband, Carl Dean, for more than half a century. The pair has a practice of going on casual dates together, and more specifically, they go to Taco Bell. This is a place they often visited when they were first dating, and they have continued to go there ever since.

On January 19, 1946, Dolly Parton was born in the town of Locust Ridge, Tennessee. She is the fourth of her family’s 12 children and hails from an agricultural family that struggles financially.

The philanthropist is widely regarded as a groundbreaking figure in the mainstream and country music scenes. She began to take an interest in music when she was young and by the time she was an adult, she was performing as a singer and guitarist on community radio and television programs in Knoxville, Tennessee.

In 1964, Dolly Parton received her high school diploma, and immediately thereafter, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to begin her career as a professional musician. The country singer Porter Wagoner took the young budding artist under his wing and mentored him.

She made many appearances on his nationally syndicated program, which contributed to her rise to prominence. RCA Records executives were captivated by Parton’s performance after she left such an effect on them.

After that, she recorded numerous songs together with Wagoner for the label and became one of the most popular emerging stars at the time; thus, this is how she got established in the music industry. Wagoner was her co-producer on many of the tracks.

After Parton established her reputation, she and Wagoner parted ways so that Parton could concentrate on her solo career. That led to an incredible amount of success, as well as consistent acclaim and prestige.

While on her way to superstardom, Dolly Parton met the man who would become her one and only husband, Dean. Despite the fact that they began their lives together and he continued to be supportive of her successful job, the couple did not have any children. Parton, who is considered to be Miley Cyrus’ godmother, elaborated as follows:

“When my husband and I were dating, and later when we were married, we always thought that we would have children. [..]. In point of fact, we speculated that this may be the case. But things didn’t work out quite like that.”

When questioned in 2014 whether she regretted not having children, the singer of the popular song “Joelene” confessed that she had first felt sorry but not nearly as much as she does now, despite having chosen names for their potential future family of children.

The recipient of the Grammy Award said that now that she and Dean are in their senior years, they routinely discuss the topic of not becoming parents at this point of their lives and would tell one other:

“Aren’t you happy we didn’t have kids? No longer do we have to be concerned about looking after children.”

The Half-Century-Long Love Affair of Parton and Dean
In 2015, Dolly Parton raved over her adored hubby and said that she had made a good choice in her spouse. She also said how she and Dean couldn’t be more different from one another. While she is a famous figure on a worldwide scale, he is just a regular guy:

“I found a wonderful man and we were married, but he’s nothing like me at all. He doesn’t work in the entertainment industry.”

Even though Dean is not a public figure himself, he remains supportive of his wife in her career as a well-known celebrity. It was disclosed by Parton that he is interested in whatever it is that she does and is always ready to learn about what she is doing as a celebrity, and vice versa.

On Dolly Parton’s first day in Nashville, she stopped by the Wishy-Washy Laundromat, where she and her future husband would later meet. Parton was just 18 years old at the time. Dean came saw her when he was out and about in the town, and he welcomed her, and she waved back.

The multi-award winning composer was introduced to everyone in the area very immediately, including Dean, who approached her at one point. After catching his first glimpse of Dolly Parton, he immediately knew that he would someday marry her.

On the other hand, the Country Music Hall of Famer discussed what it was about Dean that piqued her interest on her website. It was “a uncommon occurrence for me,” therefore the fact that he initiated the meeting and made eye contact with her while he was speaking to her made her very pleased.

The newly formed couple’s relationship moved fast forward, and only two years later, in 1966, Dean made his proposal. He warned her that she would “had to relocate closer into town,” and if she did not, they would have to get married. If she did not, he told her that they would have to get married.

The lovebirds tied the knot in a private ceremony in Ringgold, and just three individuals, including the mother of the bride, the pastor, and the pastor’s wife, were there for the occasion. Parton added that the site was chosen because it allowed them to get their marriage certificate on the same day that they were married.

Parton is satisfied with her life with Dean despite the fact that they do not have any children together. The couple has a lot of fun traveling about their city together and taking in the sights, which sometimes includes stopping at a hotel on a whim. Parton said that it does not make a difference what sort of facility it is as long as there is a room and a bathroom and that it is clean.

In 2016, after being married for half a century, Dean and Parton went through the ceremony of renewing their wedding vows at their home in Nashville. She said that it was a “small little ceremony in our chapel at our property,” adding that it was quite informal.

In spite of the fact that it was a low-key event, the bride and groom nonetheless looked their very best for their big day. This was partly due to the fact that when they originally were married, Parton said, “I didn’t have a large, lengthy wedding dress.”

Only very close friends and family members were invited to the celebration of the couple’s love. The vocalist from “9 to 5” claimed that they did not want to make a big deal out of the wedding by having a lot of expensive traditions. In addition to that, she said that she thought her partner “looked gorgeous” for the event.

Despite the fact that he does it behind the scenes, Dean has spent the better part of three decades being a doting spouse. When it was his wife’s first time winning an award for her songwriting, he went with her to an award celebration supper to hear her take the trophy for “Put It Off Until Tomorrow.”

The two of them got all dolled up for the evening and made an appearance on the red carpet. They ate supper together while the ceremony was taking place, and after it was over, Dean informed Parton that despite the fact that he wished the best for her, he would never accompany her to another occasion of this kind.

During an interview on the cover of People magazine in April 1977, the future member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was asked about her husband’s personality, and she answered truthfully. Parton described him as “kind of bashful” and “silent,” saying that what they have is special and they do not want to put it at risk in any way.

The entrepreneur disclosed further information on her relationship with Dean in March of 2015: “He is a thoughtful individual, but he also has a fantastic and twisted sense of humor. He is hilarious and always keeps me entertained. He has a high level of confidence in who he is.”

Parton, when asked how the couple manages to keep their marriage together, stated that it has a lot to do with the fact that they have such different personalities because it leaves opportunity for the element of surprise. She added that despite the fact that they are different, the fact that they are different is “what makes it entertaining,” adding:

“I am never able to predict what he would say or do next. He never fails to take me by surprise.”

In spite of the fact that they have been together for half a century, Parton and Dean do not make a public display of their affection for one another. The two are seldom seen together in public, and Parton almost always posts photos from the couple’s past together on her social media accounts.

On November 2, 2021, the Queen of Country thanked Dean for his unwavering support while posting an old photo of the two of them holding hands and thanking each other for their friendship.

In the latter part of same month, Parton uploaded another vintage photograph with Dean, this one showing the two of them snuggled together on the sofa over the Thanksgiving holiday. She greeted her fans a “Happy Thanksgiving” with the hashtag #Thanksgiving.

A recent snapshot of Parton and Dean that was uploaded on social media shows Parton being kissed by her husband on Valentine’s Day in 2022. The photo was taken by Parton’s husband, Dean. She strongly encouraged people to express their gratitude to the people in their lives.

The Recurring Pattern of the Couple’s Informal Dates
By going on low-key dates together, Parton and Dean continue to keep the flame of their relationship alive. In 2016, she divulged the name of the restaurant that the pair often visits for supper.

The routine for the two involves loading up their RV and driving to Taco Bell. “I like the tacos that they provide. They also offer little pizzas, which are my absolute favorite “stated Parton.

In addition, despite the fact that she adores getting dressed up, the singer of “Shine” dresses in a manner that is relaxed and understated when they go out on date evenings. She only wears her hair, according to Parton “along with a touch of cosmetics and a scrunchie in her hair. I don’t look like I’m going on stage.”

The fact that Parton is not wearing any makeup helps her to avoid being recognized by the workers at the drive-through when she and Dean visit the establishment. On the other hand, there are occasions when people get a very good look at her and finally figure out who she is.

When they do, Parton is more than happy to sign their signatures and has been known to do it “on napkins.” She joked that the thing that really bothers her is when they mess up her order, but the reality is that it does not affect her at all.

Regarding the matter of Parton going out in public with Dean, she said that while he would accompany her, he would remain hidden from view.