In honor of Carl, Dolly released a new single, “If You Hadn’t Been There.”
Late Thursday, Dolly announced that she had released this new song, dedicating it to Carl.
“I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old. We’ve spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him,” she wrote alongside a photo of the couple.
Earlier in January, Dolly had teased the song, telling American Songwriter that “If You Hadn’t Been There” would be part of the upcoming stage musical about her life. “Dolly: An Original Musical” will premiere this summer at Nashville’s Fisher Center on the Belmont University campus, and will feature the song along with other new tracks and many of Dolly’s classic hits.
Dolly shared that “If You Hadn’t Been There” reflects the theme of her life.
“‘I Wouldn’t Be Here If You Hadn’t Been There’ talks about all the people who’ve helped me along the way, but it’s also a reference to God. It’s about all the things that have shaped me. It’s like, ‘I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t been there.’ That’s how the show will end. It’s a theme that runs through it. I’m really proud of it.”
Dolly and Carl married in a private ceremony in 1966.
Just two years after meeting outside the Wishy Washy laundromat in Nashville, Dolly and Carl got married in a small church in Georgia. They chose to leave Tennessee for the wedding to keep it private after Dolly’s management warned that marriage might hurt her career.
With only Dolly’s mom, the preacher, and the preacher’s mom as witnesses, Carl and Dolly exchanged vows before returning to Nashville and going back to work the very next day.
Dolly always respected Carl’s desire for privacy, even as she became one of the world’s most famous stars. In 2022, she retired from touring to spend more time at home with Carl.
Listen to Dolly sing “If You Hadn’t Been There” for Carl in the video below, or stream it here.
