Dolly Parton, the iconic country star and actress, celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary with husband Carl Dean last year.
However, a new book called “Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters With Dolly Parton” sheds light on a dark period in her life when she had an affair that led her to contemplate suicide.
An excerpt from the book, edited by Randy Schmidt and obtained by the Daily Mail, reveals a side of Dolly that is rarely seen.
Despite her reputation for being open and honest, this revelation about her affair, which includes interviews from the past 50 years of her career, is truly eye-opening.
During the early 1980s, Dolly was going through a difficult time.
She had a terrible experience working with Burt Reynolds on the film “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.”
She also received death threats that forced her to cancel a tour and faced health issues, including abdominal bleeding.
Additionally, she gained weight due to overeating.
To add to her troubles, she experienced a broken heart from an affair outside of her long and open marriage.
This led her to a dark place where she even considered ending her own life.
Dolly shared a chilling moment when she almost took her own life.
While sitting in her bedroom, she noticed her gun in the nightstand drawer.
As she picked it up, her dog Popeye came running up the stairs, diverting her attention and making her reconsider.
She believes that Popeye was a spiritual messenger sent by God.
Reflecting on that moment, she realized that even someone as strong as her could be pushed to such extremes if the pain became unbearable.
The website suggests that Dolly dropped hints about her bandleader, Gregg Perry, being the man she was involved with during this affair.
Perry left the music business after working on the film's soundtrack, but he has since been credited for his work in recent years.
It should be noted that Dolly's affair was not with her close friend and assistant, Judy Ogle, and she has denied any romantic involvement with Ogle.
Although the article mentions Dolly's “affair” and her “lover,” further down it becomes clear that it was an emotional affair rather than a physical one.
However, given Dolly's openness about exploring her sexuality at a young age, it is unclear whether the affair was consummated or not.
Dolly also described her marriage as “open and free,” but clarified that it did not involve s**ual openness.
She jokingly added that she would kill Carl if she ever thought he was being unfaithful, and he would do the same to her.
Interestingly, Carl has had his own flirtations over the years.
Dolly revealed that her hit song “Jolene” was inspired by a bank teller whom Carl had a crush on.
During a performance at the Glastonbury Festival, Dolly playfully mentioned how she often thinks about calling Jolene when she sees her husband sleeping in his chair.
Before the release of this book, Dolly's marriage to her press-shy husband, Carl Dean, seemed rock solid.
The couple met outside a laundromat in Nashville when Dolly first moved to the city, and they got married on May 30, 1966.
Last year, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in a private ceremony.
Despite the revelations in her book, Dolly remains focused on her philanthropic efforts.
Just recently, she administered the final distribution of $3 million from the My People Fund to the victims of the Smoky Mountain wildfires.
Dolly's commitment to helping others continues to shine through, even during personal challenges.
Dolly Parton's book provides a unique insight into the life of a beloved star.
It shows that even someone as successful and admired as Dolly can face heartbreak and contemplate drastic actions.
Her openness about her struggles serves as a reminder that anyone can be pushed to their limits.
