Dolly Parton Reveals How She Maintains Her 54-Year Marriage

Dolly Parton Reveals How She Maintains Her 54-Year Marriage

By Cooper Dowd, Staff Writer

Country music icon Dolly Parton married Carl Dean 54 years ago, and though Dean’s not in the spotlight often, he’s at the center of her heart.

Parton, 74, said that she attributes their lasting relationship to their ability to have fun with one another and their ability to respect each other’s space.

“Our joke about the fact, when people ask me why it’s lasted this long, I say, ‘Because I stay gone.’ And there’s a lot of truth in that — the fact that we’re not in each other’s faces all the time,” Parton told Entertainment Tonight. “But we do have a great respect and admiration for each other. We both have a great sense of humor. So, we have a lot of fun.”

It’s fun her fans don’t see, though, and because of that, some speculate that Dean very well may be invisible.

“A lot of people have thought that through the years, because he does not want to be in the spotlight at all,” Parton said. “It’s just not who he is. He’s like a quiet, reserved person and he figured if he ever got out there in that, he’d never get a minute’s peace and he’s right about that.”

Parton said that his affection is for her and not for her career. Though she may be one of the most successful musicians in modern history, Dean wants to stay out of it.

“I’ve always respected and appreciated that in him and I’ve always tried to keep him out of the limelight as much as I can,” Parton added. “He said, ‘I didn’t choose this world, I chose you, and you chose that world. But we can keep our lives separate and together.’ And we do and we have. We’ve been together 56 years, married 54.”

That’s an impressive relationship for anyone, but especially a celebrity! Congratulations to the happy couple.