Dolly Parton’s Husband Has ‘Months’ To Live?

9:21 am, February 17, 2021

Dolly Parton wears a white jump suit against a purple background

Part of the legend of Dolly Parton is her effusive husband Carl Dean. In their 54 year marriage, he’s only been photographed a handful of times. One tabloid claims he’s now on his death bed. Gossip Cop investigates.

Dolly Parton Keeping “Bedside Vigil” For Husband Carl Dean?

According to this week’s issue of the National Enquirer, “Dolly Parton is keeping a bedside vigil for Carl Dean” as she “fears the end is near.” Sources say Dean’s “condition has drastically declined in the last year.” Parton, who’s described by the source as “devoted” has allegedly “confessed to friends she rarely leaves his side because he may only have months to live.” In the meantime, the “Jolene” singer “has become his primary caregiver.”

The tabloid reports that Dean “has been rocked by memory-robbing Alzheimer’s disease – and its impact has been devastating.” A tipster calls this situation “sad,” and says, “Dolly fears her man is so diminished, he’s lost the will to go on.” A friend of Parton said she even turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom “because she feared leaving Carl alone in Tennessee.” The article concludes by saying Parton feels her career “won’t mean a hill of beans without Carl by her side.”

Gossip Cop’s Take On The Matter

Let’s point out immediately that the bit about the Presidential Medal of Freedom is completely false. Parton turned that down not once, but twice. She told Today, “I couldn’t accept it because my husband was ill, then they asked me again about it and I wouldn’t travel because of the COVID.” This implies that Dean’s health had improved, but Parton still wouldn’t receive the award.

This story can only exist because of Dean’s reclusive status. Gossip Cop honestly doesn’t know what Dean’s been up to in the past year, but that’s pretty standard as far as Dean’s concerned. He very rarely appears in public, which means this exploitative tabloid feels it can say whatever it wants.

Parton recently did an interview with iHeart Radio where she discussed her secrets to a successful marriage. She said “We are not in each other’s face. He’s very independent. He does not need me to be under each other’s feet. In fact, he doesn’t want me to be.” Parton is not talking about Dean as if he’s withering away, nor is she avoiding public appearances as this story implies. This only casts further doubt onto this tabloid’s story.

The Enquirer has a terrible track record when it comes to stories about Parton, so it’s pretty unlikely it would have accurate information now. Just a few months ago, this same tabloid claimed Dean was clamping down on Parton’s flirtatious nature with other men. In that story, Dean was well enough to demand “more respect,” but in this death bed story, he’d be too ill to say much of anything. We also busted its story claiming Parton may never sing again, for she released new music that very week.

The bogus stories just go on and on. This tabloid claimed Parton was throwing a birthday bash at Dollywood to celebrate her 75th birthday, but that party never happened. Gossip Cop busted its story about Parton fighting best friend Reba McEntire over a Kenny Rogers tribute, for the two have had no such falling out. Given its terrible track record when it comes to stories about Parton, and since there’s a total lack of news about Dean from any reputable source, we can comfortably say this story is bogus.