Dolly Parton Puts Music Writing on ‘Hold’ After Husband’s Death

Dolly Parton is taking a break from writing music following the death of her husband, Carl Dean.

When speaking on a Wednesday episode of Khloé Kardashian’s Khloé in Wonder Land podcast, the singer discussed the impact of songwriting and why she’s putting it on “hold” for now.

“Everything begins with a story or a song. Every movie, you’ve got to have a great story. It doesn’t matter how great the actress is or the actor, doesn’t matter how great the director is — if you don’t have a good story, you don’t have a project,” said Parton. “Same with a song, all the great singers — some of them write, some of them don’t — but you’ve got to have a great song.” She added, “So I think that’s one of the reasons I love to to write, because I feel like I’m so connected to God right then.”

When asked by host Kardashian if she’s ever had writer’s block or hasn’t been able to finish a song, Parton replied, “My husband passed away three months ago. … Several things I’ve wanted to start, but I can’t do it. I will later, but I’m just coming up with such wonderful, beautiful ideas. But I think I won’t finish it.”

Parton continued, “I can’t do it right now because I’ve got so many other things that I can’t afford the luxury of getting that emotional right now. So there are times like that, things like that that will start here a little bit, but I’ll write something else, though, if it comes. So I’m just putting that all on hold.”

Still, Parton emphasized her love for the art and said songwriting is her “joy” and while “it happens just to be my job, but is also my joy.”

Dean died in March at the age of 82. The couple met the day she arrived in Nashville, outside the WishyWashy Laundromat, married two years later, and remained together for more than six decades. “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” the singer wrote in a social media post following his death. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”