Less than a week after the passing of her husband, Carl Dean, Dolly Parton‘s put out a song in his honor.
The superstar announced “If You Hadn’t Been There” on Instagram, along with cover art that shows a young Dolly wrapping her arms around her beau.
“I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old. We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together,” she said in the accompanying post. “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,” she concludes.
Dolly announced Carl’s passing at the age of 82 on Monday.
“I wouldn’t be here/ If you hadn’t been there,” Dolly sings in the tribute. “Holding my hand/ Showing you care/ You made me dream/ More than I dared/ And I wouldn’t be here/ If you hadn’t been there.”
She recently mentioned “If You Hadn’t Been There” as a song she’s written for the Broadway musical about her life, which starts previews in Nashville this summer.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
