Dolly Parton sends off late husband Carl Dean with an emotional new song: 'If You Hadn't Been There'

Dolly Parton reached retired to fans, friends and household with what she called a “love note” Thursday successful the aftermath of hubby Carl Dean’s decease earlier this week. Then connected Friday she dedicated a caller opus successful his honor, saying helium was “the star” successful her beingness story.

“I fell successful emotion with Carl Dean erstwhile I was 18 years old,” Parton wrote connected social media. “We person spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like each large emotion stories, they ne'er end. They unrecorded connected successful representation and song. He volition ever beryllium the prima of my beingness story, and I dedicate this opus to him.”

The opus is “If You Hadn’t Been There” and includes the lyrics, “Oh you are my stone / A brushed spot to onshore / My wings, my assurance / You recognize / Your willingness / Beyond comparison / No I wouldn’t beryllium present / If you hadn’t been there.”

Her dependable trembles with emotion arsenic she sings the lyrics, fueled by the six decades of narration down them. Comments connected the Instagram station are from radical astir the world.

The caller tune follows Parton’s Thursday enactment to supporters connected social media. “Thank you for each the messages, cards, and flowers that you’ve sent to wage your respects for the nonaccomplishment of my beloved hubby Carl. I can’t scope retired personally to each of you but conscionable cognize it has meant the satellite to me,” she wrote.

Parton, 79, joined Dean, who died Monday astatine property 82, connected May 30, 1966, successful Ringgold, Ga., southeast of Chattanooga and adjacent to the Tennessee-Georgia authorities line. The ceremonial was tiny, according to her website, including lone Parton’s mom, positive the preacher and his wife. Bride and groom had met 2 years prior, erstwhile she was 18 and helium was 21.

Dean’s origin of decease was not made public, and his ceremonial volition beryllium private. On Monday, Parton’s campy posted a speedy statement online confirming his decease successful Nashville and including a fewer words from the singer.

“Carl and I spent galore fantastic years together,” she said successful that archetypal statement. “Words can’t bash justness to the emotion we shared for implicit 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”

Among those responding with comments: Cracker Barrel restaurants and Dollar General stores, keeping the down-home vibe going. And portion celebs including Reese Witherspoon and Khloe Kardashian registered their condolences, truthful did regular fans.

“What a beauteous emotion communicative coming to its worldly conclusion,” said one comment posted Thursday by a instrumentality whose backstage Instagram relationship said her sanction is Sarah Lewis. “A handsome and knowing antheral providing specified a instauration to a lightning bolt of a woman.”

Parton, that lightning bolt, ended her remarks successful Thursday’s note, saying of her husband, “He is successful God’s arms present and I americium good with that. I volition ever emotion you.”