Worried Dolly Parton Quits Touring to Be near Spouse of 56 Years Whom She Wed despite People Warnings

• Dolly Parton said she would not be going on tour ever again.

• The singer stated that she and her husband of 56 years, Carl Thomas Dean, are getting old and need to be around each other.

• Parton and Dean have only been seen out once.

• The singer revealed why she kept her marriage private from the beginning.

Country queen Dolly Parton had an interview with Pollstar and revealed that she would never go on tour again. Parton said she’s been touring all her life and knows how tiring and time-consuming it can be.

Dolly Parton performing in the United Kingdom in 1976. | Source: Getty Images

Now that she and her husband are getting older, the actress would like to be closer to home in case anything happens. She said: “I laughed more in the hospital than I ever have in my life, making fun of all the weird things that were happening to me.”

The country star continued to reason that she did not want to disappoint her fans or her husband. If she was ever needed at home while on tour, the feeling of walking out on a show and the guilt of being away from home is something Parton does not want to experience.

However, that does not mean we will not hear more of Parton. She said she would continue performing at shows and festivals but nothing that needs her to be on the road for an extended period.

Dolly Parton performing at NBC Universal Events in 2015. | Source: Getty Images

Parton and her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary this year. The couple’s relationship has been so private that people suspected Dean was imaginary.

The “Jolene” singer was aware of this and said she and Dean have an ongoing joke that their marriage has lasted this long because Parton was always gone.

Despite Parton being a worldwide sensation, the singer said Dean never wanted to be in the limelight and knew that they would not have had peace if the public got a whiff of their relationship.

Furthermore, Parton explained that Dean chose to be with her and not her fame, and he would love for them to keep their union scared and protected from the public, with which she already shares so much of herself.

Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean’s Love Story

According to Women’s World, Parton met Dean the first day she moved to Nashville, the singer was 18 then, and Dean was 21.

The couple eventually locked eyes while standing outside a Wishy-Washy Landramet at Music City and dated shortly after the encounter.

Their first meeting was surreal for Dean. From the moment he met Parton, he said he knew he would marry her, reported ET-Online. After stumbling on that thought, he realized, “lord, she’s good-looking.”

In the early stages of their relationship, Parton revealed that Dean wanted to take her out for dinner, but there were only a few places they could go to without being bothered.

One of those places was McDonald’s. Parton told People that they drove to the drive-through, got their food, and went somewhere quiet to have one of their first dates.

According to CMT, Parton was advised that getting married would not be the right move for a career, but the singer insisted on tying the knot.

On May 30, 1966, Parton and Dean walked down the aisle. The couple had their ceremony in Georgia because Parton did not want to be followed by the Tennessee reporters, stated CMT.

The ceremony was intimate with only Parton’s mother, who made her knee-length white dress and bouquet. The singer made it clear that she did not want to get married in a courthouse, so they found a Baptists Church, took pictures, and have been inseparable ever since.

Dolly’s Private Marriage and Frugal Life with Her Husband

Parton chose to keep her marriage private from the beginning to not invade her husband’s privacy, but as her career and fandom grew, the hitmaker said she followed her mother’s advice to keep parts of her life to herself.

In an interview with Today, Parton said that finding the balance of knowing how much to share with the public benefited her relationship and helped her protect those close to her. “There is a part that belongs to God and me,” said the country sensation.

Parton and Dean have only been seen in public once, at a Ryman Auditorium country music event. The country star was still young and not signed with any record label, but on that day, Parton received her first songwriting award for “Put It Off Until Tomorrow,” reported The Boot.

Generally, Parton stated that she and Dean like to keep their dates low-key. She told People that some of their favorite activities include mini trips in their camper, picnic lunches in the countryside, and dinners at local restaurants.

Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Thomas Dean photographed in 1996. | Source: Getty Images

In many ways, Parton’s relationship has grounded her; she knows the strength it takes to shut out public scrutiny and would not want Dean to be a victim of that. She told Fox News, “I try to keep my husband out of the business. I love him enough not to expose him to it.”

For their 50th anniversary, Rolling Stone reported that Parton and Dean celebrated with an intimate vow renewal ceremony at their Nashville home.

The glamorous country queen said she wore the most beautiful dress, and Dean wore a tux, which she said made him look like a handsome “Hollywood dude.”

Dolly Parton performing in California 2014. | Source: Getty Images

After being together for over five decades, the “Tomorrow is Forever” star said she would re-do- life with Dean all over again. “I’m dragging him kicking into the next 50 years. Wish us luck,” said Parton.