Carl Thomas Dean

Carl Thomas Dean was born on July 20, 1942 in Nashville, Tennessee. Not much is known about Carl’s parents or educational background. What brought him to fame and recognition is the fact that he is husband of the world-renowned American singer, Dolly Parton. Dolly and Cal first met at Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville, Tennessee. Interestingly, it was Dolly’s first day, after she moved to Music City. While the 18-year-old Dolly was doing her laundry, Carl drove by in his white Chevy pickup truck. He stopped to tell her she was going to get sunburned in her revealing outfit. As she went indoors to fold her clothes, he picked up a conversation with her. She was bowled by his genuineness and authenticity. Parton has been quoted saying ‘He looked at my face and was interested in finding out who I was and what I was about’.

Parton also states that while the two were having a conversation, Carl looked directly at her eyes, which was a rare thing for her. Though Carl’s mother desired to have a lavish wedding ceremony for the two, Parton was bound by her music contract according to which she had to wait before she walked the aisle. Not wanting to wait, Carl and Dolly married in a hush-hush private ceremony on May 30, 1966 in Ringgold Georgia. Ever since their Big Day, the two have been going strong and celebrated their big 50th Golden Jubilee in 2016 with a second wedding ceremony. Theirs is truly an ideal relationship!

For Carl Thomas Dean, the line ‘good things happen to you once you are married’ truly stands true. Little did he know that the girl he picked up a conversation at a laundry store would in turn be his wife and the superstar of the American music industry! Having said that, what Carl was sure of right after their first meeting, was that he wanted to marry this girl. Though it seemed too far-fetched then, there was something that worked for the two then, and is going strong for them today as well.

Dolly Parton had moved to Music City at the age of 18 after her brush with success at 13, when she produced her first single, ‘Puppy Love’, under a small record label in Louisiana. It were early days after the shift that Parton met Carl while doing her laundry at the Wishy Washy Laundromat. He was driving his white Chevy pickup truck when he stopped to tell her she was going to get sunburned in her revealing outfit. The two struck a chord instantly and have been going steady ever since then. They married two years later on May 30, 1966.

Interestingly, more than fifty years into marriage, Carl still remains the force behind her. He is her constant support. Though in all these years, Dolly Parton has risen to become one of the mega stars of the American music industry with her work in country music, Carl has been by her side all through as a rock-solid foundation. What complements the two is their contradictory personality. While Parton is extremely social and public given her nature of work, Carl prefers to remain inhibited and private! Unlike other men who try to make the most of their wife’s social status, Carl is reportedly very shy. Interestingly, even before Parton reached stardom, Carl had no interest in the entertainment industry. In 1966, during one of the red carpet industry events Carl accompanied his newly married wife. However, immediately after the event, he was quoted, ‘Dolly, I want you to have everything you want, and I'm happy for you, but don't you ever ask me to go to another one of them dang things again!’