Dolly Parton has made her first public appearance since the death of her husband, Carl Dean.
Dolly Parton is continuing to honor and remember her late husband, Carl Dean, after his death on March 3.
The singer, who confirmed his passing, and later admitted she was “consoled by the afterlife” before releasing a new song dedicated to him, has been keeping a lower profile since her husband’s death at the age of 82.
However, she opted to finally make her first public appearance a few weeks later, as she surprised attendees at her Dollywood theme park’s Celebrity Theater to kick off the resort’s 40th season of operations.
Parton made the unexpected appearance just 11 days after her famous private husband died in his hometown of Nashville.
During the surprise appearance, Parton shared that she would always love and honor her husband of more than 60 years.
Parton’s private husband, Carl Dean, died on March 3 (Image: Dolly Parton Instagram)
“Of course I will always love him, and I’ll miss him, but I wanted you to know that I will always love you,” she said to those gathered at the event.
Her appearance and statement come after her original statement on Instagram announcing his death.
“This is a love note to family, friends, and fans,” she wrote at the time. “Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers that you’ve sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband, Carl.”
“I can’t reach out personally to each of you, but just know it has meant the world to me,” he added before referencing her 1974 song I Will Always Love You, saying, “He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you.”
Parton also released the tune, If You Hadn’t Been There, that was dedicated to her husband on March 7.
Parton married Dean on May 30, 1966, and he remained out of the spotlight, even as her career exploded.
Parton had previously admitted that despite her commitment and love to her husband, she did once have an “affair of the heart,” but got through it with her faith, and she and Dean renewed their vows on their 50th anniversary in 2016.
“If I had it to do all over, I’d do it all over again, and we did,” she said at the time. “I’m dragging him kicking and screaming into the next 50 years.”
