Dolly Parton Is ‘Steadfast in Her Devotion’ to Husband Carl Dean: ‘They’re In It for the Long Haul’

Dolly Parton and her husband, Carl Dean, have been together for 55 years, but the singer is still “steadfast in her devotion” to their marriage, a source exclusively tells Closer. Despite all the decades that have gone by, Dolly and Carl are stronger than ever and “in it for the long haul.”

“She adores and is committed to Carl. They’re a team and Dolly will always be there for him,” the insider shares, noting the “Jolene” songstress, 75, and her beau, 78, have similar personalities. “Dolly loves to laugh, as does Carl … they really get each other.”

Though Dolly knows their “love affair may not [be] the most conventional,” she doesn’t mind that Carl prefers to live life out of the spotlight. “Dolly loves her Carl and knows that their unconventional relationship confuses people and her fans … but it’s lasted longer than most,” the source says.

Fortunately, the Sweet Magnolias actress — who wed Carl in 1966 — doesn’t mind what others think because she’s so happy with her longtime lover. As she “has often said, ‘Carl makes me laugh all the time. We both have a warped sense of humor. It’s one of the things that’s kept us together all of this time.’ So that’s what is keeping Dolly going,” the insider continues.

Throughout the last 50-plus years of their marriage, Dolly and the businessman have only been spotted together on a handful of occasions, as Carl has strayed from the public eye. Because the “9 to 5” artist spent much of her career on the road without him, she’s been so “grateful” to “spend more time with Carl” at home amid the coronavirus pandemic.

One thing the pair did together was celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary on May 30. According to the insider, the Grammy winner and her hubby honored the milestone “very quietly at home in Nashville with a nice, simple, country dinner.”

“It wasn’t anything extravagant, they had Carl’s favorite — Dolly’s chicken and dumplings and his beloved pecan ice cream,” the source explains. “They sat outside on the gazebo. It was perfect.”

Now that coronavirus regulations have started loosening up, Dolly will be “traveling more for work,” the insider points out. However, “she’s cutting back as much as she can” after getting a taste of life at home with Carl.

These two are couple goals!