Sorry, Dolly Parton fans, it looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer for new music. The legendary country star recently revealed on the “Khloé in Wonder Land” podcast that she’s stepping away from music following the passing of her husband, Carl Dean.
“I can’t do it. I can’t do it right now ’cause I have so many other things that I can’t afford the luxury of, you know, getting emotional,” Parton told Khloé Kardashian. While she admitted she feels “stalled,” she was clear that this isn’t a full retirement. “I’ll write something else, though, if it comes,” she added. “I’m just putting that all on hold.”
Taking a Step Back, But Not Forever
Parton and Dean met in 1964 outside a Nashville laundromat when she was just 18. The couple married two years later and shared a deeply private, loving relationship for nearly 60 years. Dean, unfortunately, passed away in March at age 82.
Three days after announcing his death on Instagram, Parton went on to release a touching tribute song titled “If You Hadn’t Been There.” In her post, she wrote, “I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old. We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song.”
Despite the heartbreak, Parton emphasized that her creative spirit is alive and well. “That’s my special thing,” she said of songwriting. “That, to me, is my joy—and it just happens to be my job.”
From Broadway to the Freezer Aisle
While new songs may be on pause, Parton’s schedule is still very much packed. The 79-year-old icon is gearing up for the world premiere of her autobiographical stage production, “Dolly: A True Original Musical,” which opens July 18 at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville. Directed by Tony winner Bartlett Sher, the show runs through August 31 before heading to Broadway in 2025.
The musical, which chronicles the actress’ life from childhood to superstardom, features a mix of original songs and beloved hits. Three Broadway actresses, Katie Rose Clarke, Carrie St. Louis, and Quinn Titcomb, will portray Parton at different stages of her life. The cast also includes Beth Malone as longtime best friend Judy Ogle, John Zdrojeski, and Jacob Fisher.
In true Dolly fashion, she’s also keeping fans fed…literally. Following the massive success of her Duncan Hines baking mixes, she’s launched a line of single-serve frozen meals in collaboration with Conagra Brands.
“I’ve always had dreams, and I’m always working,” Parton said in an interview with the Associated Press. “My husband understood that. Carl knew that better than anybody. He was very proud of me… So when I did lose him, I just thought, ‘I’m going to take all of that energy and put it into other things.’”
And those “other things” include celebrating Dollywood’s 40th anniversary. The theme park marked the milestone by unveiling a new Hollywood-style “Dollywood” sign above the property, something the icon had dreamed of for years. “I talked about it forever,” she laughed, “and now it’s finally up there.”
Dolly Parton: Faith, Resilience, & a Superstar
Even through grief, Parton leans on the values that have guided her since the start. It’s her faith, family, and a relentless drive to create. “I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I’m going to see [Carl] again someday,” she said. “And I see him every day in my memories and in my heart.”
Despite being a global icon with 11 Grammy wins and a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, the author still refuses to call herself a “superstar.”
“I’m just a workin’ girl,” she said. “I always say—and it’s the truth—I’m a workhorse that looks like a show horse. But I gotta keep it all up, and I enjoy all of it.”
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Dolly Parton Reveals She’s Taking a Break From Music: ‘All on Hold’