Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean died on March 3, 2025 (Instagram@dollyparton)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Dolly Parton is mourning the loss of her beloved husband, Carl Dean, and recently shared how deeply moved she was by a heartfelt tribute in his honor at the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th anniversary celebration.

The country legend took to Instagram Stories on Friday, March 21, to express her emotions following the special performance of her iconic ballad, ‘I Will Always Love You,’ by an ensemble of country music’s biggest stars.

Dolly Parton reacted to Opry 100: A Live Celebration tribute (Instagram/@dollyparton)

Dolly Parton’s reaction to Grand Ole Opry’s tribute to Carl Dean

In her reaction, Dolly Parton wrote, “I have not stopped crying over the beautiful tribute of ‘I Will Always Love You’ on the 100th Anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry show.”

“All those beautiful people with all their beautiful voices singing my song as a tribute to my husband Carl… the emotion was beyond words,” she added.

Parton, who had been married to Dean for over 60 years, described the performance as a powerful moment of both grief and healing, according to People.

“I have cried enough to wash a great deal of the pain away, so thanks to all of you beautiful people that helped make that possible. I also will always love you,” she said.

 

Star-studded tribute to Carl Dean

The tribute performance took place on Wednesday, March 19, during a live broadcast of ‘Opry 100: A Live Celebration’, an event marking the centennial anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, a cornerstone of country music history.

The moving rendition of ‘I Will Always Love You’ was led by Lady A’s Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood, along with Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood.

According to the Knox News Sentinel, the performance featured around 50 Grand Ole Opry members coming together to honor Parton’s late husband.

The song, originally written and recorded by Parton in 1973 as a farewell to her longtime mentor Porter Wagoner, has since become one of her most beloved and enduring hits.

Dolly Parton’s message to the Opry and fans

Ahead of the performance, Dolly Parton recorded a special video message that was played for the audience.

While she was unable to attend the event in person, she made it clear that her heart was with everyone gathered at the Opry.

“Well hello, I am Dolly Parton and I am a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry. And I am so sorry that I can’t be there with everybody in person, but of course, you know my heart is with you and my spirit is with you,” she said in the video, as reported by Knox News Sentinel.

Parton first shared the news of Dean’s death on Monday, March 3, via an Instagram post, revealing that he had been laid to rest in a private ceremony attended only by immediate family.
Dolly Parton was married to Carl Dean for nearly 60 years (Instagram/@dollyparton)
While the exact cause of Dean’s death was not publicly disclosed, Parton later shared in an interview with Knox News Sentinel that her husband had “suffered a great deal.”