Dolly Parton made her first public appearance since the passing of her beloved husband, Carl Dean, earlier this month. The 79-year-old country music icon surprised fans on Friday at the 40th opening ceremony of her Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, theme park, Dollywood, where she expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of love and support.
During her heartfelt speech, Parton thanked fans for the flowers, cards, and kind messages she had received over the past two weeks. She acknowledged the deep love she shared with Dean and explained why she chose to attend the event.
“You know how I loved him, and he would want me to be working today. I expect to be working,” she told the crowd. She added, “I just wanted you to know that of course I will always love him, and I’ll miss him, but I wanted you to know that I will always love you.”
Her words were met with cheers from the audience, with fans shouting, “We love you, Dolly!” in support. The Jolene singer ended her speech by performing Celebrate The Dreamer In You before participating in Dollywood’s opening day parade, where she waved to fans from a carriage.
“How would I not feel loved with that crowd?” she later told a local news outlet.
Parton’s appearance at Dollywood came just 11 days after Dean’s passing at the age of 82. The couple, who were married for 60 years, kept their relationship largely private. Last week, Parton released a song in tribute to her late husband, If You Hadn’t Been There, sharing on Instagram, “Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.”
