Dolly Parton has released a new song titled "If You Hadn't Been There" in tribute to her late husband, Carl Dean, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 82. WATE reports that Parton shared the song on social media along with a photo of herself and Dean. She described their love story, saying, "Carl and I fell in love when I was 18 and he was 23, and like all great love stories, they never end. They live in memory and in song, and I dedicate this to him."
The song is a heartfelt reflection on Dean's support in Parton’s life and career. Rolling Stone describes it as starting as a piano ballad before building to a powerful orchestral finish, with Parton singing, "You made me climb/And top the stairs/I wouldn’t be here/I wouldn’t be here/If you hadn’t been there."
Before the song's release, Parton thanked her fans for their support following her husband's death. Dean’s death was announced on Monday but did not disclose the cause, as per WVLT.
Rolling Stone notes that Dean, who avoided the spotlight, will be buried in a private ceremony with family members. The couple met in 1964 when Parton moved to Nashville, and they married in 1966.
