Carl Dean, Dolly Parton's husband of six decades, has passed

Dolly Parton's husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, has died at the age of 82 in Nashville (Tennessee), as confirmed by the singer through a brief statement posted on social media.

"Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, died March 3 in Nashville at the age of 82. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He is survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie. The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time," the statement reads.

In addition, Parton dedicated a few words to her husband of nearly six decades: "Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy."

Parton and Dean met in a Nashville laundromat when she moved to the city as an 18-year-old from Sevierville, Tennessee, her birthplace.

In a past interview picked up by the Associated Press, Parton said she "delighted" when she first met and talked to him. "He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about," the artist added. They married in 1966.

The causes of Dean's death were not disclosed.