Shared

Dolly Parton Opens Up About Faith After The "Affair Of The Heart" That Nearly Ended Her Life

Dolly Parton may be the Queen of Country music, but her road to super stardom was very rocky.

The "Jolene" singer and her family, including 11 siblings, lived in poverty in a one-room cabin in Sevier County, Tennessee.

The family was in such a bad financial situation that they weren't even able to see a doctor when one of them got sick or injured.

gracias.fi

During a recent appearance on the Dr. Oz Show, Parton recalled the details of an accident she suffered when she was "probably about six or seven" that almost cost her a foot. Since she wasn't able to go to a hospital, her mom put cornmeal and kerosene on it then sewed the gash shut.

"They put kerosene on it for antiseptic and momma took her sewing needles — she used to make our quilts and stuff, and she literally had to sew my toes back on. But they worked and they healed and I’m still walking on them."

CountryLiving

Despite all the hardships, Parton has previously stated that she wouldn't change a thing about her childhood because it shaped the person she is today and influenced her music.

"I think my childhood made me everything I am today," she told Entertainment Tonight. "I would trade nothing for being brought up in the Great Smoky Mountains. I've never been ashamed of my people, no matter how poor or dirty we might have been. I've always loved being from where I am, and having the folks that I've had."

While growing up wasn't a walk in the park for the country crooner, there was another struggle she encountered later in life that took an even bigger toll on her.  

In the book published in 2017 titled Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton, the ups and downs of the singer's relationship with her husband Carl Dean were discussed.

However, it was the icon admitting that she had an "affair of the heart" that took everyone by surprise.

InStyle

Parton and Dean met while she was at a laundromat on her first day in Nashville when she just 18 years old.

Dean drove by in his white Chevy pickup, and stopped to tell his future wife that the outfit she was wearing would make it easy for her to get a sunburn.

"My first thought was I'm gonna marry that girl," Dean said in a statement for the couple's 50th wedding anniversary in 2016. "My second thought was, 'Lord she's good lookin'. And that was the day my life began. I wouldn't trade the last 50 years for nothing on this earth."

The pair began started dating soon after, and two years later, 20-year-old Parton and 23-year-old Dean, tied the knot in Georgia on Memorial Day 1966.  

Dollyparton.com

For nearly 20 years, the couple remained happy and in love, or so we thought.

According to the unauthorized book, Parton supposedly had an affair with her band leader Gregg Perry in the 1980s.

The singer was so filled with guilt and heartbreak about the situation that she "found herself eyeing her gun" to end her life.

“I was sitting upstairs in my bedroom one afternoon when I noticed in the nightstand drawer my gun that I keep for burglars. I looked at it a long time," Parton said.

She continued, "Then, just as I picked it up, just to hold it and look at it for a moment, our little dog, Popeye, came running up the stairs,” she reportedly said. “The tap-tap-tap of his paws jolted me back to reality. I kinda believe Popeye was a spiritual messenger from God.”

Country Living

The "I Will Always Love You" singer said she didn't think she would've actually gone through with it, but the power of prayer helped her come out of the dark place she was in.

"I kinda believe Popeye was a spiritual messenger from God," she continued. "I don't think I'd have done it, killed myself, but I can't say for sure. Now that I've gone through that terrible moment, I can certainly understand the possibilities, even for someone solid like me, if the pain gets bad enough."

While the affair left Parton in a weak emotional and mental state, it didn't break up her marriage. She and Dean were able to work out their differences and renew their vows  on their 50th anniversary in 2016.

"He's a deep person, but he has a great and warped sense of humor," Parton said. "He makes me laugh and entertains me. He's very secure within himself."

Country Living Magazine

The couple do not have any children, but that's a choice they made a very long time ago. In 1984, the singer underwent a partial hysterectomy and was told she'd never be able to bear children.

Patron admitted that the timing of the surgery and the affair, put her further into depression, but she was able to come out on top.

"It was a really bad time," she said. "Sometimes God just has to smack you down," she said of the message from above. "He was almost saying, 'Sit your pretty little ass down because we have to deal with some stuff!'"

Parton said that she "would have been a great mother" because she "would have probably have given everything else" to focus on raising her children. Ironically, this was also the same reason that stopped her from being a mother.

"Now that Carl and I are older, we often say, "Aren't you glad we didn't have kids?" she told Billboard. "Now we don't have kids to worry about...Everything would have changed. I probably wouldn't have been a star."

Uncova

While Parton loves to gush about her husband whenever she gets the chance to, they've only been spotted in public a handful of times, and that's because of a promise she made to him after they got married.

After accompanying Parton to a red carpet event, the notoriously private Dean said on the drive home, "Dolly, I want you to have everything you want, and I'm happy for you, but don't you ever ask me to go to another one of them dang things again!"

Staying away from the media hoopla and giving each other space are just two of the secrets to their long-lasting union.

"You can't be in each other's face all the time," Parton told the Taste of Country. "Actually, I think that has been the best formula for us, the fact that we appreciate each other when we are together. We don't have to be together all the time."
Express.co.uk

Their faith has also played a role in keeping them together, and now the couple have their own chapel on their farm in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Even though it hasn't been an easy journey, Parton said "If I had it to do all over, I'd do it all over again, and we did. I'm dragging him kicking and screaming into the next 50 years."

We're so glad Parton was able to recover from depression and save her marriage.

If you'd like to know more about Dolly Parton, check out:

12 Facts About Dolly Parton That Prove She's A Living Legend

More Throwbacks

Shared

12 Celebridades Cuyos Hábitos de Higiene Son Honestamente Repugnantes

Cuando pensamos en las celebridades, pensamos en personas que viven estilos de vida lujosas. Rara vez pensamos en ellos como personas que no se bañan, no se cepillan los dientes y no descargan el inodoro.Y, sin embargo, aquí estamos, listos para hacer una profunda inmersión en los hábitos repugnantes de celebridades que existen, pero que realmente no deberían.1. Brad Pitt se Baña Con Toallitas Para BebésNils Sautter - FlickrPitt puede parecer que huele bien, pero eso es poco cierto. Según el padre de seis hijos, sólo usa toallitas húmedas para bebés cuando no tiene tiempo para bañarse. "Tengo

Shared

40 Celebrity Prom Photos That Are More Embarrassing Than Your Own

Graduating seniors celebrate by getting all dressed up and dancing the night away with their peers for the last time.It's a night to remember, which is why dozens of photos are taken at prom.  But I'm sure there are some celebrities who wish their prom photos were never leaked online. If you thought your prom photos were awkward, you've seen nothing yet...1. Barack Obama TimeThese four look like they had a grand time at their senior prom. They're draped in leaves and flowers, which means one thing - this photo was taken at a high school in

Shared

13 Celebrities Whose Hygiene Habits Are Honestly Revolting

When we think of celebrities, we think of people who live lavish lifestyles and who are always put together. Rarely do we think of them as people who don't shower, don't brush their teeth, and don't flush the toilet. And yet, here we are, ready to do a deep dive into the gross celebrity habits that exist but really shouldn't. 1. Brad Pitt Washes With Baby WipesNils Sautter - FlickrPitt may LOOK like he smells good, but that's only true some of the time. According to the father of six, he just uses baby wipes when he doesn't have time

Shared

The First Animal You See Says A Lot About Your Personality

When you look at this image, what is the first animal you see? PLAYBRAINEveryone sees something different, and it says something about you as a person. What did you see? The animal you saw might be your spirit animal, the one who guards you and guides you through thick and thin throughout your life. After you read the explanation about your choice, you can also take the quiz to see if it matches your vision.OwlPlayBrainIf you saw the owl, you often find yourself reflecting on your inner self, taking alone time to figure out your next step. You should

Shared

23 Years After The Trial Of The Century, Here's What O.J. Simpson's Kids Are Up To Today

When former football star O.J Simpson allegedly killed his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, he did not just claim the lives of two innocent people. He also robbed his two youngest children, daughter Sydney Brooke Simpson and son Justin Ryan Simpson, of their mother and a normal childhood.The lives of his older children with first wife, Marguerite Whitley, Arnelle and Jason, were also dramatically altered. (O.J. and Marguerite's third child, Aaren Lashone, tragically drowned in the family's pool shortly before her second birthday.)And no, Khloe Kardashian is not his child. Global GrindLife

Retro

How A Wild Affair With Her 13-Year-Old Stepson Ruined An Oscar-Winning Actress's Career

In the mid-1940s, Gloria Grahame was the talk of town, and for all the right reasons. The actress had her start in theater, but her talent and hard-work helped her land major roles in some of the biggest films at the time. She made her silver screen debut in the 1944 film in Blonde Fever, then two years later, she appeared in It's a Wonderful Life as the flirtatious Violet Bick. By her third film, Crossfire (1947), she was in the running for the coveted Oscar. Best Movies by FarrFilm noir sirenDespite her critically-acclaimed performances and the box-office success of