Dolly Parton, the Queen of Country, has dazzled us with her incredible talent in singing, songwriting, acting, and writing for over 50 years. While she’s been an open book about her childhood and career, there’s one chapter she keeps quite private – her husband, Carl Dean. Despite nearly six decades of marriage, Dean has remained somewhat of a mystery to the public eye.
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Their journey began with a secret wedding in the ’60s, and in 2016, they renewed their vows. Surprisingly, eagle-eyed fans have noticed that, since the renewal, Dolly hasn’t been flaunting the new wedding ring she received. Curious to know the reason behind this? Keep reading to uncover the intriguing details.
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Why Parton and Dean Kept Their Wedding a Secret?
Parton and Dean’s love story began in a charmingly unexpected way – a chance meeting outside a laundromat in Nashville, Tennessee, shortly after Parton made the Music City her home in 1964.
Recalling their initial encounter, Dean shared his thoughts on Parton’s official website, saying, “My first thought was, ‘I’m gonna marry that girl.’ My second thought was, ‘Lord, she’s good lookin’. And that was the day my life began.”
After two years of dating, the couple decided to take the plunge into matrimony. However, Parton’s record label urged the rising star to delay the wedding by another year. Undeterred, the couple bypassed the label’s advice, crossing state lines to Ringgold, Georgia, where they exchanged vows in a secret ceremony at a quaint Baptist church located 150 miles outside Nashville.
In an interview with ET Canada, Parton shared a key to their successful marriage, saying, “We both have a warped sense of humor. And I think humor, honestly, is one of the best things when you’re married like that. Even if you have a problem, if you have a great sense of humor, if you say something you can’t take back, you usually have some crazy way of getting out of it.”
For their 50th wedding anniversary, the couple renewed their vows, granting Parton the opportunity to experience the grand wedding she had always dreamed of. Expressing her desires, she said, “I’ve always wanted a big beautiful dress, the whole thing.”
Not only did Parton get her dream dress, but she also received new rings. Reflecting on her initial half-carat wedding ring, Parton revealed to Rolling Stone, “My husband and I bought these rings on his mother’s credit card and paid for them until we paid them off. I had this one done up for the new wedding. It’s three-and-a-half carats. I had it made out in LA.”
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Why Parton Chooses Not to Wear Her New Ring?
Fans eagerly keep an eye out for the dazzling gem that Dolly Parton once spoke of whenever she steps into the public eye, but their efforts have proven fruitless.
The reason behind this elusive gem? Well, it turns out that Parton has a penchant for avoiding real diamonds, especially when she’s in the spotlight performing. Steve Summers, her creative director, spilled the sparkling details to W magazine, revealing that the renowned “Jolene” artist still adorns herself with plenty of jewelry, albeit mostly of the faux variety. And the reason? Parton’s inherent generosity.
Summers explained, “She used to wear real stuff. But if someone told Dolly they liked her earrings, she’d take them off and hand them to that person! I’d say, ‘Those were real diamonds!’ and Dolly would shrug. So now we always go for fakes.”
Parton, with a playful spirit, chimed in, “We don’t like the real stuff! I’m a rhinestone girl!” And so, the mystery of the missing sparkler is solved, revealing a touch of Dolly’s down-to-earth charm and her love for the glimmer of rhinestones over the sparkle of real diamonds.
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