Dolly Parton, the Tennessee native, is a name that needs no introduction in the world of country music and entertainment. At 77, she has become an icon and a household name, captivating audiences with her music and performances throughout her illustrious career. However, the time has come for Dolly to bid farewell to touring, even though she will continue to create more music.
In a recent interview with Pollystar, Dolly expressed her decision to step away from touring. She shared, “I’ll do special shows here and there, now and then. Maybe do a long weekend of shows, or just a few shows at a festival. But I have no intention of going on a full-blown tour anymore.” While her absence from the stage will surely be missed by her fans, Dolly is looking forward to spending more quality time with her beloved husband, Carl Thomas Dean.
Dolly and Carl’s love story is nothing short of extraordinary. They met in Nashville back in 1964, when Dolly was just 18 and Carl was 21. It was love at first sight for Carl, who saw something special in Dolly right away. He recalls, “My first thought was, ‘I’m gonna marry that girl.’ My second thought was, ‘Lord, she’s good lookin’.’ And that was the day my life began. I wouldn’t trade the last 50 years for anything on this earth.”
Their love story had a humble beginning, with Carl hollering at Dolly from his pickup truck outside a laundromat. Despite declining his first date invitation, Dolly invited Carl over to her place a few days later when she was babysitting her nephew. That’s when their lifelong bond began.
In May 1966, Dolly and Carl tied the knot in a private ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia. They chose to get married there to avoid unwanted attention from the press. With only Dolly, Carl, and her mother as witnesses, their wedding was an intimate affair. Since then, their love has only grown stronger. In 2016, the couple celebrated their 50th anniversary by renewing their vows.
As Dolly closes the chapter on touring, she cherishes the opportunity to spend more time with Carl. In her Pollstar interview, Dolly explained, “I’ve done that my whole life, and it takes so much time and energy. I like to stay a little closer to home with my husband. We’re getting older now, and I don’t want to be gone for four or five weeks at a time. Something could happen. I would not feel right about that if I were gone and somebody needed me. Or I would feel bad if I had to leave a tour if somebody got sick at home and needed me and then I had to walk out on the fans.”
While she may be stepping away from touring, Dolly has no plans to slow down her music career. In fact, she is currently working on a new album in the rock n’ roll genre as a tribute to her husband’s love for the genre. Dolly’s versatility and talent were recognized when she was nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She expressed her excitement, saying, “When I got nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I thought, well, no better time to do it. My husband is a big hard rock ‘n’ roll fan, and for years I thought, ‘One of these days I’d like to do an album mainly just for him, just to kind of do it.’”
Apart from her music, Dolly also continues to explore other creative ventures. She recently premiered her NBC special, Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas, which offers an inside look into the dramatic side of putting together a show. Additionally, she is collaborating with actress-turned-producer Reese Witherspoon on an upcoming film titled “Run, Rose, Run,” based on a novel she co-wrote with James Patterson.
Throughout her career, Dolly Parton has been a symbol of strength and resilience. However, she also acknowledges the importance of listening to one’s body and taking care of oneself. In the 1980s, she faced health problems but pushed through them to focus on her career. It resulted in her collapsing on stage due to endometriosis, a condition that caused pain, heavy periods, and fatigue.
Reflecting on that time, Dolly shares, “I was getting away with murder. I wasn’t watching what I ate, I wasn’t conscious of nutrition, wasn’t taking care of myself. I was working hard, and underneath I was a pile of personal and emotional problems.” She underwent a partial hysterectomy and learned the importance of prioritizing her well-being.
As we bid farewell to Dolly’s touring days, let us celebrate the incredible contributions she has made to music and entertainment. Dolly, enjoy your well-deserved “retirement” and embrace the joy of a life filled with love and happiness. You have given us so much, and we will always love you.
