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Dolly Parton’s friendship with Judy Ogle fell under scrutiny in the 1970s. People began to worry they were too close.
For decades, Dolly Parton’s closest friendship has been with Judy Ogle, whom she has known since childhood. Parton and Ogle’s friendship has been known to the public since the early days of her career. Unfortunately, people began to view the closeness of their relationship as a bad thing. Music executives worried Parton’s career might be at risk because of Ogle.
Dolly Parton’s longtime friendship made people worry about her career
Parton has known Ogle since she was a child. They’ve been close for most of their lives, and this began to become a problem for her career. Ogle spent time on the road with Parton, but they parted ways, with rumors flying that Parton fired her longtime friend. Many wondered if this was because they became romantically involved.
“Since they were so close, I imagine Dolly probably said, ‘Judy, I hate it that it has come to this, but I have turned every aspect of my career over to KatzGallin-Cleary, and I will have to abide by what decisions they think are in my best interest,’” a music executive said, per the book Dolly by Alanna Nash. “And Judy, being the friend she is, would have to abide by that decision.”
In the 1970s, rumors of this nature could have negatively impacted Parton’s career.
“Could be it had gotten to the stage that it would jeopardize Dolly’s career and Dolly could no longer tolerate that,” the executive added. “But of all the changes that took place in Dolly’s career within the last few years, that was the one that was most shocking to me — that Judy was no longer with her.”
Dolly Parton addressed her friendship with Judy Ogle
Though Parton reportedly had to fire Ogle, their friendship persevered. Parton said Ogle was one of the most important people in her life.
“A true friend is one of the greatest gifts a person can ever have,” Parton wrote in her book Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business. “They say that in order to have a friend, you have to be one. No truer words were ever spoken. Judy and I have given a lot, and we have taken a lot. We have had our problems, our ups and downs, but the love has always been great enough to overcome.”
She spent years married to Carl Dean
While rumors flew about the nature of her relationship with Ogle, Parton was in a longtime marriage with her husband, Carl Dean. They married in 1966 and remained together until his death in 2025.
“Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82,” read Parton’s Instagram post. “He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He is survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.”
Parton asked for privacy as she mourned, and noted that she and Dean spent “many wonderful years together.”
