Carl Thomas Dean is a famous American celebrity. The man is best known as the husband of country music superstar Dolly Parton. 

He has stayed out of the limelight in all other respects, so it is tough to find info about the man. Ever wonder why you’re never heard that the famous and legendary singer Dolly Parton was married to someone? Well, Carl Thomas Dean is the singer’s mysterious husband, and as for why he’s not in the spotlight, we’ll get to that. We’ve sourced as much info about Carl Thomas Dean as possible in this article. 

Carl Thomas Dean: 6 Fun Facts About Dolly Parton’s Husband!

1. Who is Carl Thomas Dean’s wife? 

He married his wife Dolly Parton on May 30, 1966 after meeting her at a laundromat in 1964. 

In addition, it is quite important to note that the couple have been blessed to stay married for more than 50 years which only intensifies curiosity and raises questions as to why it has been kept in the background and is also trying to figure out what has kept them together.

As of 2021, Carl Thomas Dean is an American celebrity and businessman. 

2. What is it like being married to Dolly Parton?

Carl Thomas Dean is Dolly Parton’s husband for over five decades.

Carl Thomas Dean experienced various disturbances while growing up. He is a reserved person and has always stayed away from the spotlight. He was ready to appear on stage with his wife to celebrate 50 years of marriage.

Surprising as it may sound, Carl has rarely seen his lady perform. While the world is crazy about the Parton show, it is said that Carl is hardly ever-present at her shows.  

A more puzzling fact is that Carl Thomas Dean is the exact opposite of Dolly but is the exact factor that has held the enigmatic couple together for so long. For Carl, his wife alone is all he needs for a healthy life. In fact, Carl is the supporting force behind his wife.

Despite the vast differences in their personalities, one thing that unites them is the love they have for each other. 

While it’s easy to assume that Parton entertains both of them, it is often quoted as saying that it is Carl’s sense of humor that sustains their relationship. After 50 years of marriage, they have been very supportive and in love with each other. 

The couple has no children of their own, but Parton is the godmother of artist Miley Cyrus. Together, Dean and Parton have assisted in raising many of Parton’s younger siblings in Nashville, causing her nieces and nephews to refer to her as “Great Aunt.”

3. Childhood, early life: 

Carl Thomas Dean was born on July 20, 1942, in Nashville, Tennessee to his parents; Virginia Ginny Bates Dean his mother, and Edgar Henry Dean his father. He was the brother of siblings he grew up within Tennessee.

4. What does Carl Thomas Dean do?

Unlike the flashy career of his uber famous wife, he ran a highway repair company.

Despite being the husband of a celebrity, Carl has never deposited or cashed in on her. Rather, he prefers to live a life of solitude. The opposite in nature to Dolly Parton, Carl prefers to stay out of the media limelight and can be called something of a loner. 

He runs an asphalt company in Nashville. 

5. How did Carl Thomas Dean meet Dolly Parton?

What brought him to fame and recognition is being the current and long-lasting husband of world famous American singer, Dolly Parton. Interestingly, it was Dolly’s first day after she moved to Music City.

And just like the fairy tale stories we hear often, he met her when he was 21 and she was 18 in 1964. 

When an 18-year-old Dolly was doing her laundry, Carl passed by in his white Chevy truck. He stopped to tell her that he was going to burn in his revealing outfit. As she entered the house to fold her clothes, he struck up a conversation with her. 

She was in awe of its authenticity, saying: “He looked me in the face and was interested to know who I was and what I was.” 

Parton also claims that while the two of them were having a conversation, Carl looked her square in the eye, which was rare for her. 

Although Carl’s mother wanted to have a lavish wedding ceremony for the two of them, Parton was bound by her music contract that she had to wait before walking down the aisle. 

Without wanting to wait, Carl and Dolly were married in a private and low-key ceremony on May 30, 1966 in Ringgold, Georgia. Since their big day, the two have gone strong and celebrated their grand 50th golden anniversary in 2016 with a second wedding ceremony.

6. Networth and charity with his wife:

Due to his very private nature, not much is known about him, although reports say that he ran a pavement-dwelling asphalt laying company in Nashville in the 1970s. Dolly Parton and Carl at the time lived outside of Nashville in an area 23 room house. Until his retirement, he was in business. 

It is no longer news that Carl is notoriously private about his personal endeavors, but Dolly Parton’s Net Worth is public. She is enjoying a gigantic net worth estimated at $ 500 million; which is quite worthy for a woman of her caliber.

On the other hand, Carl Thomas Dean, who led his asphalt laying company in Nashville retired as an entrepreneur. He may not have obtained as enormous wealth as his wife’s, but he sure did make his own wealth even though it is not publicly known. 

The couple is known for supporting the Dr. Thomas Foundation and has been working in charities.

Carl Thomas Dean may be lonely in nature, but that doesn’t stop the media from sniffing out the life of the husband of one of the most influential women on earth. Although they were two contradictory personalities, the two remained true to each other and persevered amid the challenges that came with being in the limelight among others. Dolly has praised her husband on many interactive platforms and credited him with all his glories of success.