Latest news with #IfYouHadn'tBeenThere
7NEWS
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Dolly Parton talks about the impact of her husband Carl Thomas Dean's death
Music icon Dolly Parton opened up this week about her struggles with songwriting following her husband's death. The country singer's husband, Carl Thomas Dean, died in March at the age of 82. Parton, 79, sat down with Khloé Kardashian for an episode of her podcast, Khloé in Wonder Land, to discuss her work, past, present and future. When asked about her many talents — including acting, singing and songwriting — and if she feels closer to one of them than to the others, the artist said they're all important to her, but songwriting is what she feels most connected to. 'I love feeling like that I can create something, to leave something in the world today that wasn't there yesterday,' Parton told Kardashian, adding that her writing makes her feel connected to God. Parton also addressed feeling writer's block and not finishing songwriting projects that she started. 'My husband passed away three months ago — when you asked me if there's stuff that I've started, haven't finished, several things I've wanted to start but I can't do it,' Parton said. 'I will later, but I'm just coming up with such wonderful, beautiful ideas, but I think I won't finish it.' The musician continued that she cannot take on these projects right now because she has 'so many other things' and she 'can't afford the luxury of getting that emotional right now'. Parton said she will write other songs if they come to her, adding that songwriting is her 'joy' that also happens to be her job. Dean, a Nashville businessman, and Parton were married in 1966 after meeting two years prior, and kept their relationship out of the public eye. 'Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years,' Parton said in a statement shared following his death. 'Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.' Days later, Parton posted a heartfelt message thanking those who reached out to her following his death. 'This is a love note to family, friends, and fans. Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers that you've sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl,' Parton wrote. 'I can't reach out personally to each of you but just know it has meant the world to me. He is in God's arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you.' The Jolene singer also released an emotional ballad honouring her late husband, If You Hadn't Been There. The song looks back on the love and support Parton received from Dean throughout their marriage. 'If you hadn't been there / Where would I be? / Without your trust / Love and belief / The ups and downs / We've always shared / And I wouldn't be here / If you hadn't been there,' Parton sings in the ballad. In an Instagram post announcing the release of the song, Parton said she fell in love with Dean when she was 18. 'Like all great love stories, they never end,' Parton wrote. 'They live on in memory and song.' 'He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.'
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Dolly Parton explains why she's putting her music career on hold after tragedy
Dolly Parton has plenty of ideas for new music, but those ideas will have to wait. The 79-year-old country music icon is still mourning the loss of her husband, Carl Dean, who died on March 3 at the age of 82. He and Parton were married for nearly six decades. During a July 9 appearance on Khloé Kardashian's 'Khloé In Wonder Land' podcast, Parton said her husband's death is keeping her away from music. 'I can't do it right now because I got so many other things that I can't afford the luxury of getting that emotional right now,' she said of the projects she wanted to start but couldn't. 'I'll write something else, though, if it comes. I'm just putting that all on hold,' she added. Parton's statement comes four months after she confirmed the death of her husband, whom she had been married to since 1966. 'Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy,' Parton wrote in a March 3 Instagram post. Four days later, Parton released her newest song, 'If You Hadn't Been There.' 'I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old. We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like all great love stories, they never end,' she wrote on Instagram on March 6. 'They live on in memory and song,' she continued. 'He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.' While she won't be writing any new music in the near future, Parton recently celebrated the launch of a new line of Southern-inspired frozen, single-serve meals and sides with Conagra. She's also slated for a six-show residency in Las Vegas at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace from Dec. 4 to 13 and is releasing her newest book, 'Star of the Show: My Life on Stage,' on Nov. 11. Parton reveals the secret to her 59-year marriage to Dean While talking to Kardashian, Parton revealed why her and Dean made such a perfect pair. 'I have to be out in the public and I belong to the public, but I am such a private person and my husband was, as well,' she explained. Parton joked that they 'were so good for each other because he's a total loner.' 'We could just be in the house all day and say two or three words, didn't matter. Or we could talk all afternoon and lay in bed, talk at night, in the dark,' she continued. She later opened up about the lengths her husband would go to to avoid attention from her fans. 'My husband did not want to be out there. He never did an interview in his life,' she told Kardashian. Parton said her fans would see her husband mowing the lawn on his tractor and ask if he was Parton's husband, to which he would reply, 'Do I look like I'd be Dolly Parton's husband?' She also revealed the moment she knew it was best to keep her husband away from the media. The year was 1966 and Parton had just won BMI's Song Of The Year — the same year she married Dean. According to her official website, Parton's song 'Put It Off Until Tomorrow,' which was co-written with her Uncle Bill, won the award. Parton and Dean married on May 30, 1966. He was 21 and she was 18 at the time. To celebrate her musical success, Parton said she 'begged' Dean to attend the BMI awards that year — and he did, despite not wanting to. 'He rented a tuxedo. Didn't want to do it,' she said. 'And then when we were leaving that, he started taking (the tuxedo) off, taking off the jacket.' 'And he said, 'Now I want you to do great, but don't you ever ask me to go to another one of these (darn) things because I ain't going,' she added. 'And he never did. And I knew right then that I'm just going to keep him private as best I can,' she continued. Parton went on to clarify that her husband was 'very proud' of her and they got along so well because they never had anything to fight over.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Dolly Parton hits pause on songwriting after husband's death: ‘We were so good for each other'
Dolly Parton is putting new music on hold following the death of her husband, she disclosed on the podcast 'Khloé in Wonder Land.' The 79-year-old country legend sat down with host Khloé Kardashian to discuss her faith, career and life advice on Wednesday's episode. Though famously private about her marriage, Parton opened up about her decision to press pause on music while she grieves her husband of almost 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in March at 82. 'Several things I've wanted to start, but I can't do it,' Parton said. 'I will later, but I'm just coming up with such wonderful, beautiful ideas. But I think I won't finish it. I can't do it right now, because I got so many other things and I can't afford the luxury of getting that emotional right now.' Parton and Dean wed May 30, 1966, and remained together until his death. Despite Parton's fame, Dean avoided the spotlight and was rarely seen in public. 'We were so good for each other, because he's a total loner,' Parton told Kardashian. 'We could just be in the house all day and say two or three words, didn't matter. Or we could talk all afternoon or lay in bed and talk at night ' 'I really think that there's just certain personalities that are great for each other. And we were together 61 years,' she said. 'We were just so different, but we were so similar.' Parton also noted that their zodiac signs were compatible: She's a Capricorn and he was a Cancer. The 'Jolene' singer won her first Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) award in 1966, the year she and Dean married. He rented a tuxedo and got dressed to go to the ceremony but ended up taking it off before making it out the door, Parton said. 'I knew right then that I'm just gonna keep him private as best I can, never ask him to do nothing,' she said. 'But he was very proud of me. We got along great, because we didn't have nothing to fight over like that.' Parton released a song dedicated to Dean, 'If You Hadn't Been There,' days after his death. 'Oh you are my rock / A soft place to land / My wings, my confidence / You understand / Your willingness / Beyond compare / No I wouldn't be here / If you hadn't been there,' she sings on the heartfelt track. Kardashian is a longtime Parton fan. In 2024, her sister Kim Kardashian threw her a 'Khloéwood'-themed 40th birthday party inspired by Dollywood in Tennessee. Kardashian and Parton collaborated earlier this year on a new denim line for Kardashian's Good American fashion label: Dolly's Joleans. 'They make your butt look good,' Parton said of the jeans, which she was wearing during the interview. 'Even if you don't have a good butt, they make it look good. And if you got a good butt, it's amazing.' During the hourlong conversation, Parton and Kardashian discussed everything from the singer's love of makeup to Whitney Houston's cover of Parton's 'I Will Always Love You.' Parton also shared her reaction to Beyoncé's version of her 1973 hit 'Jolene,' which appeared on 'Cowboy Carter' last year. 'She flipped it around, thinking, 'You think you can take my man?' ' Parton said. 'But she's that cool. ... I loved it, because as a songwriter, you love to hear how other people interpret your songs. And the fact that she did it, I knew I was gonna make a lot of money.' In February, Parton was featured on the deluxe edition of Sabrina Carpenter's 'Short n' Sweet.' She joined the 26-year-old pop star on a twangy reimagination of her chart-topping single 'Please Please Please.' When asked about her plans for the future, Parton said she didn't know but that she has faith there's more in store for her. 'I always look at my life like it's been a tree. It had roots, deep roots, then it had all the limbs, then it had all the little leaves. Everything branches out to something else,' Parton said. 'I know God's gonna give me something else. I try to leave myself wide open. I try to keep myself very private in my world so I can hear what I'm supposed to know. And that I can act on. And I'll go for it, and I'll work it to death.'
New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Dolly Parton makes heartbreaking admission about her career after husband's death
Being married to Carl Dean was a highlight of Dolly Parton's life. Now, four months after her husband's death at age 82, the country singer is stepping back from making music. 'I can't do it right now,' Parton, 79, said on Thursday's episode of Khloé Kardashian's 'Khloé in Wonder Land' podcast, 'cause I got so many other things that I can't afford the luxury of getting emotional right now.' 8 Dolly Parton on Khloe Kardashian's podcast. Khloe Kardashian/X 'I'll write something else, though, if it comes. I'm just putting that all on hold,' she noted. Parton also admitted that, right now, she is 'stalled.' Despite taking a step back from recording, Parton is set to hit the Las Vegas stage later this year. 8 Dolly Parton talks about Carl Dean on Khloe Kardashian's podcast. Khloe Kardashian/X Last month, the country icon announced her six-show 'Dolly: Live In Las Vegas' residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace from Dec. 4-13. 'To say I'm excited would be an understatement. I haven't worked Vegas in years and I've always loved singing there,' Parton said in a statement, referencing her '90s performance at The Mirage. 'I'm looking so forward to the shows in The Colosseum at Caesars and I hope you are as well. See you there.' After Dean's passing, the 'Steel Magnolias' actress released an emotional song titled 'If You Hadn't Been There.' 8 Dolly Parton speaks onstage during CMA Fest. Getty Images Parton used a throwback photo of herself and Dean as the album cover art, which she shared on Instagram. In the picture, the young star wraps her arms around her husband's neck as she stands behind him. 'Carl and I fell in love when I was 18 and he was 23, and like all great love stories, they never end,' Parton captioned the post. 'They live in memory and in song, and I dedicate this to him.' 8 Dolly Parton and her husband Carl Thomas Dean. dollyparton/Instagram A little over a week after Dean died, Parton made her first public appearance at Dollywood's Celebrity Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. While visiting the theme park to help kick off the resort's 40th operating season, Parton addressed her late husband's death. 'Of course I will always love him, and I'll miss him, but I wanted you to know that I will always love you,' she stated, per local news. 8 Dolly Parton and Carl Dean. dollyparton/Instagram Parton also sat down with Knox News for an interview about how she was coping without her longtime significant other. 'I'm doing better than I thought I would,' admitted the artist. 'I've been with him 60 years. So, I'm going to have to relearn some of the things that we've done. But I'll keep him always close.' Parton added she's 'at peace that he's at peace,' but expressed that she is still 'missing' and 'loving him.' '[Dean] suffered a great deal,' Parton acknowledged, explaining that it's 'a hole in my heart, you know, but we'll fill that up with good stuff and he'll still always be with me.' 8 Dolly Parton poses with Carl Dean. dollyparton/Instagram The couple was married for 59 years, with Parton confirming his death on social media. 'Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years,' her Instagram message read. 'Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.' Parton and Dean first met at Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville when she was just 18. They tied the knot on May 30, 1966. The pair never had any children. 8 Dolly Parton poses with her guitar. Courtesy 8 Dolly Parton. Courtesy 'My first thought was 'I'm gonna marry that girl.' My second thought was, 'Lord she's good looking.' And that was the day my life began,' Dean told Entertainment Tonight in 2016. 'I wouldn't trade the last 50 years for nothing on this Earth.' Over the years, the late businessman largely stayed out of the spotlight and let Parton take center stage. In May, the '9 to 5' star revealed the secret to their successful union. 'It is important to have someone there in your corner and you know they'll love you for just who you are,' Parton said while on E! News at the time. 'There's a great comfort in knowing that someone loves you exactly for who you are—because he fell in love with me before I became a star.' 'To him, I'm his star,' sh›e gushed, adding that their dynamic has 'worked for us because we both do different things and it's exciting when we are together.'
Extra.ie
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Dolly steps back to heal her heart
Dolly Parton is probably one of the most loved superstars of Country Music, having been a household name for the past 50 years or more. But just as admired as her music, was her enduring marriage to her husband Carl Dean who sadly passed away in March of this year at the age of 82. Speaking to Khloe Kardashian on podcast 'Khloe in Wonder Land' the Jolene singer said she has decided to step away from recording music, vowing not to step into a recording studio again in the near future, 'I can't do it right now 'cause I got so many other things that I can't afford the luxury of, you know, of getting emotional right now.' An image of Dolly Parton and her husband Carl which was posted on Dolly Parton's official website to announce his death. Pic: Courtesy of Admitting she is 'stalled' since the death of her beloved husband of 59 years, the superstar added 'I'll write something else, though, if it comes. I'm just putting that (recording) all on hold.' In the wake of Dean's death Parton released a soaring ballad entitled 'If You Hadn't Been There' in tribute to the man who had been happy to stay out of the limelight, but supported her in every step of her career while keeping to himself quietly in the background. The opening line of the song is 'If you hadn't been there, where would I be?' and was a tribute to their love and devotion for almost 60 years. Now that Carl has died, Dolly has decided to take a break from recording any new material for the time being, while she adjusts to life without the man she describes as 'the love of my life'. Pic: Andrew Lipovsky/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images Back in 1977, she spoke to People magazine and told how she first met the man who would later become her husband, describing how she had arrived in Nashville with a suitcase full of dirty clothes, such was her hurry to get to the Country Music Capital, and she met the tall handsome Carl Dean in a laundromat. But both Dolly and Carl described the fateful meeting in 1964 as love at first sight in later interviews. Dolly said she had a feeling that the mystery man approaching her would become a major figure in her life. Pic: Instagram/DollyParton And he was such an influential figure and such a support to the 9 to 5 singer that she is taking her time in getting back to doing what she loves, singing, recording and performing, to allow her heart a little more time to heal.
