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Dolly Parton’s ‘Love Note’ Of Thanks

Dolly Parton posted a message to her Instagram to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and love after the death of her husband, Carl, on Monday (3/3). She wrote, “This…

Dolly Parton poses in a white dress.
Eamonn M. McCormack/IGetty Images

Dolly Parton posted a message to her Instagram to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and love after the death of her husband, Carl, on Monday (3/3).

She wrote, "This is a love note to family, friends and fans. Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers you have sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband, Carl. I can't reach out personally to each of you but just know it has meant the world to me. He is in God's arms now, and I am okay with that. I will always love you. - Dolly"

See that message here.

It was to stay with her husband Carl, who had medical problems at the time, in 2016 why the country icon played her final "Pure And Simple" tour. I was lucky enough to work with her on that very tour, and she told me many things about touring life, which she had done since she was a teenager.

Dolly said of her tour bus, "It is my home; I live on the bus. You know I never stay in hotels, ever. I just live on the bus. I just pull right up to the venue in the afternoon, do a sound check, get back on the bus, have dinner, and get ready for the show. I usually don't eat big until after I'm done."

She continued, "Then, as soon as the show's over, I just climb back on the bus, take off my show clothes (and) get in the bed or just kinda lounge around. I don't have to take suitcases in and out and worry about forgetting something… All my stuff is on the bus, so I love that bus."

In the same fun interview, Dolly told me about her few mishaps on stage: "I popped my dress years ago and the zipper… Richard (in her band) saw it coming down. He came and got me to put the guitar…handed me the guitar 'cause it was kinda coming loose from the back, so he walked me off stage."

She never tripped, though. Parton offered, "I remember once I almost tripped, almost slid or fell I don't know exactly what was happening, but he caught me before I, you know, went down, 'cause I wear these high heels…but you gotta be careful."

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.