Dolly Parton, 77, has announced her retirement from touring but will continue creating music. In a recent interview, the country music legend revealed she would no longer embark on full tours, preferring to focus on shorter, special performances. Despite stepping away from the road, Dolly remains committed to music, shifting her energy toward spending time with her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, whom she married in 1966.
The couple met outside a laundromat in Nashville when Dolly was just 18. Carl was instantly captivated, saying, “I’m gonna marry that girl.” They wed in a private ceremony two years later, choosing to keep their marriage under wraps to avoid media attention.
Dolly’s decision to stop touring stems from a desire to stay closer to home. She acknowledged the toll touring takes and wants to be available for her family, saying, “We’re getting older now, and I don’t want to be gone for four or five weeks at a time.”
Even as she steps back from performing, Dolly remains creatively active. She’s currently working on a rock album, inspired by her husband’s love for the genre. She also continues to shine on-screen, recently starring in her NBC special, Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas, and collaborating with Reese Witherspoon on the film adaptation of her novel Run, Rose, Run.
Dolly has faced health challenges, notably battling endometriosis in the 1980s, but she has always pushed through with resilience. Now, as she moves into a quieter phase of life, Dolly is prioritizing her well-being and enjoying the fruits of a legendary career.
We wish Dolly all the best in her well-deserved “retirement” and thank her for the decades of joy she has brought to the world.
