When Dolly Parton stepped onto the grounds of Dollywood for its 40th anniversary celebration, the crowd cheered with joy. The country legend smiled, waved, and carried herself with the dazzling warmth that has made her one of America’s most beloved figures. Yet behind that radiant smile, Dolly was carrying a weight few could see: the quiet heartbreak of life without her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean, who passed away earlier this year.

On NBC’s TODAY, the 78-year-old icon opened up about her grief in rare and candid words. “We were together 60 years… you don’t just forget that,” Dolly admitted, her voice trembling but steady with courage. “I still feel him around me, but of course, the loneliness is real. I keep singing because I know he’d want me to, but some days it’s harder than others.”

For a woman whose life has been defined by resilience — from her hardscrabble childhood in the Smoky Mountains to building a global empire of music, movies, and Dollywood itself — Dolly’s openness about her sorrow struck a chord with fans worldwide. Thousands flooded social media with messages of support, many sharing stories of how her songs of love and loss had carried them through their own grief.

Parton and Dean’s marriage was famously private. While Dolly built a career that touched every corner of the entertainment industry, Carl largely stayed out of the public eye. Their love story was one of devotion rather than publicity, a partnership that quietly endured while the world watched Dolly shine. She has often described him as her anchor, the man who kept her grounded as her fame soared.

Now, in the wake of his passing, Dolly revealed that she finds strength in the memories they built together. She told TODAY: “Carl never cared for the spotlight, but he cared for me. And that love, I carry it with me every single day. That’s what keeps me going.”

Even amid her grief, Dolly continues to work. Her Las Vegas residency remains scheduled, and a Broadway musical based on her life is in development. But she admitted that performing carries a different weight now. “Music has always been healing for me,” she said. “But now when I sing, it feels like I’m singing to him, as much as to the audience.”

Her fans, many of whom have followed her career for decades, have embraced this chapter of Dolly’s journey with the same devotion they always have. One concertgoer at Dollywood’s anniversary celebration described the atmosphere: “You could feel both the joy and the sadness in the air. She was smiling, but you could see in her eyes that she was carrying her Carl with her.”

For Dolly, sharing her grief is also a way to help others. In the same interview, she reminded viewers that loss is universal: “We all go through it, no matter who we are. I just hope my story, my songs, give someone out there comfort — the way Carl always gave comfort to me.”

As the lights shine bright at Dollywood and her songs continue to fill the airwaves, Dolly Parton carries on — not because the pain has faded, but because the love that shaped her life refuses to fade. Her story now is not just one of stardom, but of enduring devotion, courage in sorrow, and the reminder that even legends grieve.

And in her words — “We were together 60 years…” — fans hear not just heartbreak, but a love story that will echo forever.