Dean was famously private and would seldom appear in public, let alone with his famous wife. But Parton said he would come to her theme park, standing in line to buy a ticket just like other visitors to Dollywood. “He didn’t want somebody giving him a ticket ‘cause he was Dolly’s husband,” she said.

Dolly Parton made her first public appearance since her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, passed away. She attended Dollywood’s 2025 opening day. The big event, which took place on Friday, Mar. 14, was a milestone for Dollywood,