Dolly Parton leans on her faith after losing husband of nearly 60 years

NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton’s angelic voice floated throughout her first gospel album in 1971 with songs like “I Believe,” “Lord Hold My Hand” and the album’s title track, “Golden Streets of Glory.” The entertainment icon says the same steadfast faith that inspired those hymns have anchored her throughout her grief following the death her husband, Carl Dean.

“I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I’m going to see him again someday. And I see him every day in my memories and in my heart, and in all the things that we used to do and all the things that we’ve built together,” said Parton. “You just kind of have to learn to kind of make new plans — but that’s the hardest part.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honoree reflected on her marriage of nearly 60 years while promoting her new single-serve Southern-inspired frozen meals, following her popular Duncan Hines baking mixes via a collaboration with US-based Conagra Brands. Dean, who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene,” as well as her 2023 “Rockstar” album, died in March at 82.

“I really feel his presence,” said the 10-time Grammy winner. “I just try to go on, because I know I have to. And he was ill for quite a while, and part of me was at peace that he was at peace and not suffering anymore. But that still doesn’t make up for the loss and the loneliness of it.”

The 79-year-old recording artist spoke with The Associated Press about her perspective on life without her husband, her entrepreneurial spirit and on why she’s never embraced the title “superstar.” The conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.

PARTON: No, I just think that I’ve always had dreams and I’m always working. My husband understood that. Carl knew that better than anybody and he was all about it. He was very proud of me. … So when I did lose him, I just thought, well, I’m going to take all of that energy, and I'm just going to put that back into other things, and I’ll keep him ever-present in everything that I do.

PARTON: I just think that if you’re successful, if you are lucky enough to see your dreams come true, you need to make new dreams out of your other dreams. Because it’s like a tree with lots of limbs and leaves, so every dream, you can kind of branch off — if you’ll pardon the expression — and do other things. And I like the business end of things. I like seeing things happen, and I love making things happen. So, my mind just naturally works that way.

PARTON: I have a new book coming out ... this one is called ‘Star of the Show,’ which is actually a song I wrote years ago. But it’s about my life on the road and my life on stage — all the behind the scenes and all the people that I’ve met, and all of the things that happen when you’re traveling like that as I have for all of these years. So, that, and then I have my life story as a musical. It’s called ‘Dolly: An Original Musical.’ And I’ve written a lot of original songs for it. Of course, it’ll have the big hits that are woven into the story. And it’s just about my life, from the time I was little until up through now.

It’s going to be at the Fisher Center of Performing Arts at Belmont University (in Nashville). Then, once that has its run through the end of August, then we take it to New York to open on Broadway next year.

PARTON: One of the things they did for the 40th anniversary was put a big sign up on the hill there above Dollywood that says “Dollywood” like the Hollywood sign. … Years ago, when I thought, ‘Well, someday I’m going to have my own theme park and I’m gonna change that H to a D and have Dollywood.' So, they finally, after 40 years, put that sign up, even though I’ve talked about it for years. So, we’ve got a lot of wonderful things planned for the whole season that’s celebrating the 40th anniversary. It seems just like a few years back, but it’s like everything else: I was with Carl for 60 years, and Dollywood’s 40 years old. And that’s just hard to believe because I’m only 27. (laughs)

PARTON: I don’t think about my life in terms of ‘superstar.’ I’m just a workin’ girl. I always say — and it’s the truth — that I am a workhorse that looks like a show horse. But I gotta keep it all up and I enjoy all of it. … My husband always said, ‘If anybody was ever born to be a star, it’s you.’ Because he sees me loving to do all the things and playing and stuff — it’s play time for me. But I take it very serious.

Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.

FILE - Dolly Parton poses at the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Ceremony in New York, on Oct. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File)

FILE - Dolly Parton performs during an event celebrating the expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is questioning whether a proposal from his own lieutenant governor to ban federal immigration enforcement actions around courthouses, schools, day cares and other locations can, or should, be done.

Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, a Democrat, is running for governor this year after Evers decided against seeking a third term. She is one of several Democrats vying to succeed Evers in the open race. Evers and Rodriguez were elected together in 2022 after Rodriguez won the lieutenant governor primary.

Rodriguez proposed Monday that civil immigration enforcement actions in Wisconsin should be banned around courthouses, hospitals and health clinics, licensed child care centers and day cares, schools and institutions of higher learning, domestic violence shelters and places of worship. Rodriguez said there would be exceptions if there is a judicial warrant or an immediate threat to public safety.

“I’m not sure we have the ability to do that,” Evers said when asked about her proposal at a Monday news briefing.

Evers also expressed concern about how such a move would be received by President Donald Trump's administration.

“We can take a look at that, but I think banning things absolutely will ramp up the actions of our folks in Washington, D.C.,” Evers told reporters. “They don’t tend to approach those things appropriately.”

Rodriguez said Tuesday that she respected Evers' position but did not back down. Wisconsin should join other states looking to rein in federal officers, she said.

“For too long Democrats have dialed back actions in hopes President Trump doesn’t escalate, and that’s not what happens,” she said in a statement. “He always escalates.”

Rodriguez put out her plan after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Renee Good in neighboring Minnesota last week. That killing sparked protests across the country, including in Wisconsin, in opposition to Trump’s aggressive deportation operations.

Minnesota, joined by Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, sued the Trump administration Monday to try to stop an immigration enforcement surge. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order to halt the enforcement action or limit the operation.

Rodriguez's proposal to limit ICE actions in Wisconsin is largely based on proposals being offered in other Democratic-controlled states including California, New York, Illinois and New Jersey. Even if introduced in Wisconsin, they would go nowhere in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Rodriguez is also calling for all ICE agents operating in Wisconsin to be unmasked, clearly identified and wearing a body camera.

“No one should be afraid to drop off their kids at school, seek medical care, go to court, or attend worship because enforcement actions are happening without clear rules or accountability,” Rodriguez said.

When asked if ICE agents were welcome in Wisconsin, Evers said, “I think we can handle ourselves, frankly. I don't see the need for the federal government to be coming into our state and making decisions that we can make in the state.”

Wisconsin's Democratic Gov. Tony Evers discusses his call on the Republican-controlled Legislature to act on a broad array of his priorities in his final year in office on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)

FILE - Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez speaks at a campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Nov. 1, 2024, in Little Chute, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis, File)