Country superstar Dolly Parton spills the secret to her lasting love story

In addition to her reign as the queen of country music, Dolly Parton has also enjoyed nearly 60 years of wedded bliss with her husband, Carl Dean.

So, what’s the secret to her enduring marriage? According to the Jolene hitmaker, it’s all about humour. Parton shared her insights into building a lasting relationship during an appearance on the Dumb Blonde podcast.

Married to Carl Thomas Dean since 1966, Parton says their shared sense of humour has been a cornerstone of their connection, despite their distinctly different personalities.

“He’s quiet and I’m loud, and we’re funny. Oh, he’s hilarious. And I think one of the things that’s made it last so long through the years is that we love each other and we respect each other, but we have a lot of fun,” she said.

“Anytime there’s too much tension going on, either one of us can like, find a joke about it to really break the tension, where we don’t let it go so far.

“We never fought back and forth. And I’m glad now that we never did, because once you start that, that becomes a lifetime thing.

“I’ve seen it with so many people, and I thought, ‘I ain’t ever starting that.’ I couldn’t bear to think that he’d say something I couldn’t take … because I’m a very sensitive person toward other people and myself.”

While the pair have enjoyed a happy union for decades, Parton and her husband rarely appear in public together

Parton explained the reason for this in a recent episode of her Apple Music Show, What Would Dolly Do?

“Carl has never been in the limelight at all, never wanted to be in it. He don’t like it. He went to one thing with me early on, when we first married, to a BMI Song of the Year [event],” she explained.

She admitted that his experience at the event wasn’t a positive one.

“He came out there taking off his tuxedo, his tie and all that and said, ‘Don’t ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things because I ain’t going.’ I never asked him and he never did,” she said.

Despite his reluctance to turn up at major events, Dean’s support of his wife has been unwavering.

“He’s always been supportive,” she said.

“He’s like a brother and a father and a friend and a husband and a lover – all of those things to me.

“I think he’s kind of proud that we’ve been in it this long.”

-with BANG.