The renowned country music artist Dolly Parton’s husband, Carl Dean, died at the age of 82.In a statement to The Associated Press, Parton’s publicist confirmed that he passed away in Nashville on Monday. Only close family members will be present at Dean’s funeral, which will be a private ceremony.In a heartfelt statement, Dolly Parton, who was married to Dean for almost 60 years, expressed her grief:Carl and I had a lot of amazing years together. The love we had for more than 60 years is beyond words. I appreciate your condolences and prayers.The family has asked for privacy during this trying time, even though the cause of death has not been made public,

The romance between Dean and Parton started in 1964, the same day she moved to Nashville at the age of 18. They met outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat. When Parton thought back to their first exchange, she remembered being pleasantly surprised that he looked directly into her face, which was something she wasn’t used to.The couple decided to keep their union secret from the public and exchanged vows in a small, private ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia, on May 30, 1966, two years later.