Dolly Parton Reflects on Her Marriage and the Freedom of Not Having Children

Legendary country music icon Dolly Parton has long been admired not only for her powerhouse voice and philanthropic heart, but also for her enduring relationship with her husband Carl Dean. Married for nearly six decades until his death at age 82 earlier this year, their love story stood the test of time — and defied many Hollywood norms. One of the most defining aspects of their relationship, Parton has shared, was their mutual decision not to have children — a choice that she says shaped the course of her life and career in profound ways.

In a candid 2020 conversation with Oprah Winfrey on The Oprah Conversation, Parton, now 79, explained that the absence of children in her life was not a regret, but a source of empowerment. “Since I had no kids, and my husband was pretty independent, I had freedom,” she said. “So I think a big part of my whole success is the fact that I was free to work.”

Parton met Carl Dean when she was just 18, shortly after moving to Nashville to pursue her dreams in music. Their first encounter took place outside a laundromat — a simple moment that would blossom into a lifetime of love. They married in 1966, two years after meeting, and while Parton would go on to become one of the most recognizable figures in entertainment, Dean remained firmly out of the spotlight. Known for his quiet nature and deep support of his wife’s career, Dean’s privacy stood in contrast to the global fame Parton achieved.

Though many speculated over the years why the couple never had children, Parton has been forthright about the reasoning. “I didn’t have children because I believed that God didn’t mean for me to have kids so everybody’s kids could be mine,” she said. That belief became the foundation for one of her most impactful legacies — the Imagination Library, a nonprofit founded in 1995 that has mailed more than 270 million free books to children around the world, fostering early childhood literacy. “If I hadn’t had the freedom to work, I wouldn’t have done all the things I’ve done,” she said, noting that motherhood might have kept her from fulfilling her broader purpose.

Still, despite her demanding schedule, Parton never neglected the quiet joys of life with Carl. In interviews, she often fondly recounted their simple routines — sightseeing in Tennessee and Kentucky, enjoying drive-through meals, and even staying at budget motels just for the thrill of anonymity. “We don’t care, as long as the bed’s clean and there’s a bathroom. That’s how we live,” she told Parade in 2015, revealing a side of their life together that was refreshingly grounded.

Carl Dean passed away on March 3 in Nashville. The announcement was made by Parton herself via social media, where she thanked fans for their condolences and expressed the depth of their bond: “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years.”

His death marks the end of a quietly extraordinary partnership — one defined not by children, but by mutual respect, independence, and an abiding love that lasted nearly six decades. For Parton, the decision to forgo motherhood was never about loss, but about the space it gave her to become a mother of millions — through her songs, her books, and her unwavering generosity.