Dolly Parton leans on her faith after losing husband of nearly 60 years
Dolly Parton's angelic voice floated throughout her first gospel album in 1971 with songs like 'I Believe,' 'Lord Hold My Hand' and the album's title track, 'Golden Streets of Glory.' The entertainment icon says the same steadfast faith that inspired those hymns have anchored her throughout her grief following the death her husband, Carl Dean.
'I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I'm going to see him again someday. And I see him every day in my memories and in my heart, and in all the things that we used to do and all the things that we've built together,' said Parton. 'You just kind of have to learn to kind of make new plans — but that's the hardest part.'
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honoree reflected on her marriage of nearly 60 years while promoting her new single-serve Southern-inspired frozen meals, following her popular Duncan Hines baking mixes via a collaboration with US-based Conagra Brands. Dean, who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit 'Jolene,' as well as her 2023 'Rockstar' album, died in March at 82.
'I really feel his presence,' said the 10-time Grammy winner. 'I just try to go on, because I know I have to. And he was ill for quite a while, and part of me was at peace that he was at peace and not suffering anymore. But that still doesn't make up for the loss and the loneliness of it.'
The 79-year-old recording artist spoke with The Associated Press about her perspective on life without her husband, her entrepreneurial spirit and on why she's never embraced the title 'superstar.' The conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.
AP: It seems like the entire world was thinking of you following your loss. Has your perspective changed of what you hope to accomplish after losing your husband?
PARTON: No, I just think that I've always had dreams and I'm always working. My husband understood that. Carl knew that better than anybody and he was all about it. He was very proud of me. … So when I did lose him, I just thought, well, I'm going to take all of that energy, and I'm just going to put that back into other things, and I'll keep him ever-present in everything that I do.
AP: You have so many business ventures and philanthropic work. Where did your entrepreneurial acumen begin?
PARTON: I just think that if you're successful, if you are lucky enough to see your dreams come true, you need to make new dreams out of your other dreams. Because it's like a tree with lots of limbs and leaves, so every dream, you can kind of branch off — if you'll pardon the expression — and do other things. And I like the business end of things. I like seeing things happen, and I love making things happen. So, my mind just naturally works that way.
AP: You have your popular Duncan Hines cake mixes and now, your single-serve frozen meals. What other projects are you working on?
PARTON: I have a new book coming out ... this one is called 'Star of the Show,' which is actually a song I wrote years ago. But it's about my life on the road and my life on stage — all the behind the scenes and all the people that I've met, and all of the things that happen when you're traveling like that as I have for all of these years. So, that, and then I have my life story as a musical. It's called 'Dolly: An Original Musical.' And I've written a lot of original songs for it. Of course, it'll have the big hits that are woven into the story. And it's just about my life, from the time I was little until up through now.
It's going to be at the Fisher Center of Performing Arts at Belmont University (in Nashville). Then, once that has its run through the end of August, then we take it to New York to open on Broadway next year.
AP: How are you celebrating the 40th anniversary of your Dollywood theme park?
PARTON: One of the things they did for the 40th anniversary was put a big sign up on the hill there above Dollywood that says 'Dollywood' like the Hollywood sign. … Years ago, when I thought, 'Well, someday I'm going to have my own theme park and I'm gonna change that H to a D and have Dollywood.' So, they finally, after 40 years, put that sign up, even though I've talked about it for years. So, we've got a lot of wonderful things planned for the whole season that's celebrating the 40th anniversary. It seems just like a few years back, but it's like everything else: I was with Carl for 60 years, and Dollywood's 40 years old. And that's just hard to believe because I'm only 27. (laughs)
AP: Have you accepted that you're the Dolly Parton, global superstar?
PARTON: I don't think about my life in terms of 'superstar.' I'm just a workin' girl. I always say — and it's the truth — that I am a workhorse that looks like a show horse. But I gotta keep it all up and I enjoy all of it. … My husband always said, 'If anybody was ever born to be a star, it's you.' Because he sees me loving to do all the things and playing and stuff — it's play time for me. But I take it very serious.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metropolis Japan
3 hours ago
- Metropolis Japan
A Taste of Latin America!
The Strings by InterContinental Tokyo proudly presents 'A Taste of Latin America!', a vibrant one-night-only cultural and culinary celebration in collaboration with Venezuelan premium rum brand Ron Carúpano and Hall of Famer Alex 'Rami-chan' Ramirez. Taking place on August 29, 2025, this exclusive evening will bring together the soulful flavors of Latin America, premium rum pairings, and live cultural exchange through cuisine and music. Guests will enjoy a specially curated menu of Latin American dishes by Executive Chef Jesús Niño, expertly paired with a variety of Ron Carúpano rum cocktails. To conclude the evening, a Latin-inspired dessert station will feature roasted Venezuelan coffee and chocolate. Adding a touch of star power, Alex Ramirez will unveil a special rum cocktail he co-created for the occasion. This signature drink will also be available throughout the month of September at Rhythmos, the hotel's popular dining and lounge venue.
Yomiuri Shimbun
14 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Terence Stamp, British Actor Who Portrayed General Zod in Early Superman Films, Dies at 87
LONDON (AP) — Terence Stamp, the British actor who often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87. His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online, prompting a wave of tributes from and an array of fans and those close to him within the industry, including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, or BAFTA. The London-born Stamp started his film career with 1962's seafaring 'Billy Budd,' for which he earned Oscar and BAFTA award nominations. His six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his touching portrayal of the transsexual Bernadette in 1994's 'The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,' the second of his two BAFTA nominations. But it will be his portrayal of the bearded Zod in 1978's 'Superman' and its sequel 'Superman II' two years later that most people associate with Stamp. As the Kryptonian arch enemy to Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel, Stamp introduced a darker, charming and vulnerable — more human — element to the franchise, one that's been replicated in countless superhero movies ever since. Edgar Wright, who directed Stamp in his final feature film, 2021's 'Last Night in Soho,' remembered the actor in an Instagram post as 'kind, funny, and endlessly fascinating.' 'The closer the camera moved, the more hypnotic his presence became. In close-up, his unblinking gaze locked in so powerfully that the effect was extraordinary. Terence was a true movie star: the camera loved him, and he loved it right back,' Wright said. Bill Duke, who starred with Stamp in director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 crime drama 'The Limey,' said he was 'deeply saddened' to hear of his death. 'He brought a rare intensity to the screen, but off-screen he carried himself with warmth, grace, and generosity,' he said on Facebook. Stamp started his acting career on stage in the late 1950s, where he acted in repertory theatre and met Michael Caine, who was five years older than himself. The pair lived together in a flat in central London while looking for their big break. He got his break with 'Billy Budd' and Stamp embarked on a career that would see him in the early 1960s be part of the 'angry young men' movement that was introducing an element of social realism into British moviemaking. That was perhaps most notable in the 1965 adaptation of John Fowles' creepy debut novel 'The Collector,' where he played the awkward and lonely Freddie Clegg, who kidnapped Samantha Eggar's Miranda Grey in a warped attempt to win her love. It was a performance that would earn the young Stamp, fresh off his Oscar nomination, the best actor award at that year's Cannes Film Festival. While part of that 1960s British movement, Stamp learned from some of the most seasoned actors from the classical era, including Laurence Olivier. 'I worked with Olivier briefly on my second movie (1962's 'Term of Trial'),' Stamp recalled in an interview with the AP in 2013. 'And he said to me, 'You should always study your voice.'' Stamp then segued into a spot-on Olivier impersonation, continuing, ''Because, as you get older, your looks go, but your voice will become empowered.'' His career took a bit of a hiatus from the late 1960s after he missed out on the role of James Bond to replace Sean Connery, that included a years-long stint in India and which saw him embrace a more holistic approach to his self. It was the unexpected role of General Zod that brought him back to the limelight. He played John Tunstall in 1988's 'Young Guns,' the Galactic Republic leader in 1999's 'Star Wars' prequel 'The Phantom Menace,' appeared in the comedies 'Yes Man' and 'Get Smart' in 2008 and delivered voice performances in the video games 'Halo 3' and 'The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.' Born in London's East End on July 22, 1938, Stamp lived a colorful life, particularly during the 1960s when he had a string of romances, including with actress Julie Christie and model Jean Shrimpton. He married 29-year-old Elizabeth O'Rourke in 2002 at the age of 64 but the couple divorced six years later. Stamp did not have any children. Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look. He generally sought to keep his standards high — to a point. 'I don't do crappy movies, unless I haven't got the rent,' he said.
Japan Today
19 hours ago
- Japan Today
Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, dies at 87
Terence Stamp arrives at the premiere of "Valkyrie" in Los Angeles on Dec 18, 2008. By PAN PYLAS Terence Stamp, the British actor who often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87. His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online, prompting a wave of tributes from and an array of fans and those close to him within the industry, including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, better known as Bafta. Bill Duke, who starred with Stamp in director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 crime drama 'The Limey,' said he was 'deeply saddened' to hear of his death. 'He brought a rare intensity to the screen, but off-screen he carried himself with warmth, grace, and generosity,' he said on Facebook. The London-born Stamp started his film career with 1962's seafaring 'Billy Budd,' for which he earned nominations for Oscar and Bafta awards. Stamp's six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his touching portrayal of the transsexual Bernadette in 1994's 'The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," the second of his two Bafta nominations. But it will be his portrayal of the bearded Zod in 1978's 'Superman' and its sequel 'Superman II' two years later that most people associate with Stamp. As the Kryptonian arch enemy to Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel, Stamp introduced a darker, charming and vulnerable — more human — element to the franchise, one that's been replicated in countless superhero movies ever since. Stamp started his acting career on stage in the late 1950s, where he acted in repertory theatre and met Michael Caine, who was five years older than himself. The pair lived together in a flat in central London while looking for their big break. He got his break with 'Billy Budd' and Stamp embarked on a career that would see him in the early 1960s be part of the 'angry young men' movement that was introducing an element of social realism into British moviemaking. That was perhaps most notable in the 1965 adaptation of John Fowles' creepy debut novel 'The Collector,' where he played the awkward and lonely Freddie Clegg, who kidnapped Samantha Eggar's Miranda Grey in a warped attempt to win her love. It was a performance that would earn the young Stamp, fresh off his Oscar nomination, the best actor award at that year's Cannes Film Festival. While part of that 1960s British movement, Stamp learned from some of the most seasoned actors from the classical era, including Laurence Olivier. 'I worked with Olivier briefly on my second movie (1962's 'Term of Trial"),' Stamp recalled in an interview with the AP in 2013. 'And he said to me, 'You should always study your voice.'' Stamp then segued into a spot-on Olivier impersonation, continuing, ''Because, as you get older, your looks go, but your voice will become empowered.'' His career took a bit of a hiatus from the late 1960s after he missed out on the role of James Bond to replace Sean Connery, that included a years-long stint in India and which saw him embrace a more holistic approach to his self. It was the unexpected role of General Zod that brought him back to the limelight. His career, which also saw him play the role of Finis Valoru, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, in 1999's first Star Wars prequel 'The Phantom Menace,' ended with the 2021 psychological thriller "Last Night In Soho." Born in London's East End on July 22, 1938, Stamp lived a colorful life, particularly during the 1960s when he had a string of romances, including with actress Julie Christie and model Jean Shrimpton. He married 29-year-old Elizabeth O'Rourke in 2002 at the age of 64 but the couple divorced six years later. Stamp did not have any children. Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look. He generally sought to keep his standards high, but up to a point. 'I don't do crappy movies, unless I haven't got the rent,' he said. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
