Dolly Parton Puts Songwriting ‘On Hold’ Following Husband Carl Dean’s Passing

 

Country music icon Dolly Parton has revealed she is stepping back from songwriting in the wake of the recent passing of her husband, Carl Dean. In a heartfelt conversation on Khloé Kardashian’s Khloé in Wonderland podcast, Parton shared how grief has affected her creative process, leaving her unable to fully embrace the emotional depth that songwriting demands.

Remembering Carl Dean, Dolly Parton's Beloved Husband

“My husband passed away three months ago… Several things I’ve wanted to start, but I can’t do it. I will later, but I’m just coming up with such wonderful, beautiful ideas. But I think I won’t finish it,” Parton said, opening up about the creative pause she’s taking.

 

The beloved singer-songwriter continued, “I can’t do it right now because I’ve got so many other things that I can’t afford the luxury of getting that emotional right now. So there are times like that, things like that that will start here a little bit, but I’ll write something else, though, if it comes. So I’m just putting that all on hold.”

Known for penning timeless hits, Parton described songwriting as more than just a career—it’s her “joy.” “It happens just to be my job, but it is also my joy,” she reflected, underscoring the deep connection she feels to her craft.

Carl Dean, who passed away in March at age 82, shared one of music’s most enduring love stories with Parton. The couple first met outside a Nashville laundromat the day Dolly arrived in the city to pursue her dreams. They married two years later and remained together for over six decades. Following his death, Parton expressed her profound love and gratitude on social media: “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”

Carl Dean, Dolly Parton's Husband, Dead at 82

Though Parton is taking a break from songwriting, she remains active with projects such as Dolly: An Original Musical and her many philanthropic endeavors. She reassures fans that when the time feels right, her songwriting spirit will return.

 

“Everything begins with a story or a song… I think that’s one of the reasons I love to write, because I feel like I’m so connected to God right then,” she said, reminding us that for Dolly Parton, music is a sacred, soulful connection—one she will one day embrace again.