The Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 100th anniversary with heartfelt tributes, most notably from Reba McEntire, who acknowledged Dolly Parton's absence. Parton recently lost her husband, Carl Dean, and while she made a surprise appearance at Dollywood's season opening, she has been coping with her grief. Parton shared how Dean preferred to buy his own tickets, emphasizing his independence. Despite the sorrow of loss, she expressed moments of laughter and a sense of peace as she navigates life without him, stating she's faring better than anticipated after their nearly 60 years together.
"It's been a great night of celebration, but of course, it's just not the same without you," McEntire said to the country star, who per 'Today' had appeared before the start of the show with a message on video. "Dolly, everybody here at the Opry and around the world wants to send you our thoughts and prayers. And you gotta know, we will always love you."
Parton told Knox News in an interview that she was "at peace" with Dean being at peace, but said, "that don't keep me from missing him and loving him." He "suffered a great deal" at the end of his life, she told Knox News.
"I'm doing better than I thought I would" since the death, she said separately. "I've been with him 60 years. So, I'm going to have to relearn some of the things..."
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