Dolly Parton Recalls the One Time Her Husband Carl Dean Joined Her Onstage — and Nearly Got Himself Arrested
It’s no secret that Dolly Parton’s late husband, Carl Dean, was one of the most private people in country music history. Despite being married to one of the most recognizable stars in the world, Carl spent nearly all of their 59 years together out of the public eye — rarely giving interviews, attending events, or even being photographed.
But as Dolly recently revealed, there was one rare and unforgettable moment when Carl stepped into the spotlight — and it almost landed him in trouble!
The Night Carl Surprised Dolly on Stage
While chatting with her longtime friend and fellow country legend Reba McEntire on TalkShopLive, Dolly opened up about the hilarious story, which is also featured in her upcoming hardcover book, Star of the Show: My Life on Stage (out November 11).
Reba brought up a photo from the book that shows Carl onstage at the Kentucky State Fair, standing beside Dolly’s backup singer Richard Dennison, microphone in hand.
According to Dolly, it was completely unexpected.
“When we started the song, I was opening with ‘Higher and Higher’ — that was a song Carl loved,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘Why are the background singers sounding so off key?’ Then I looked back and there was Carl!”
As it turns out, Carl had shown up at the fair on his own — and decided to have a little fun. With his arm around Richard, he joined in on the performance, singing his heart out to Dolly’s 1977 hit “Higher and Higher.”
Dolly’s Priceless Reaction
The crowd loved it — but Dolly? Not so much.
“No, he never went on stage again, ’cause I wasn’t gonna let him!” Dolly joked. “That was so out of character for him.”
In true Dolly fashion, she decided to play along — with a mischievous twist.
“I leaned down and said to the security guys, ‘That man back there… I don’t know who he is. Get him offstage.’”
She even admitted she thought it would be funny if Carl got hauled off to jail and she had to bail him out after the show.
Thankfully, her road manager realized what was happening and stopped security before things went too far.
A Rare Glimpse Into Their Love
That spontaneous moment turned out to be the first and last time Carl Dean ever joined Dolly on stage — and it perfectly captures the playful, private love they shared.
“That was so out of character for him,” Dolly reflected with a smile.
Fans can see the rare photo of Carl Dean on stage and hear Dolly tell the full story in the video below (the photo appears around the 17-minute mark).
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Dolly Parton’s book, “Star of the Show: My Life on Stage,” hits shelves on November 11 — promising even more behind-the-scenes stories from her legendary career.
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