Dolly Parton Says She and Husband Carl Dean Celebrate Anniversaries in 'Comfortable' Places, Like McDonald's

Dolly Parton and Carl Thomas Dean enjoy the little things in life.

On Monday, Dec. 9, the legendary country singer appeared on Bunnie Xo's Dumb Blonde podcast and opened up about the normal life she leads with her reclusive husband.

"Even on anniversaries and stuff like that, we usually stay home and make something special," Parton, 78, told the host, who's the wife of Jelly Roll.

On occasions, the "Jolene" singer said, they'll even step out to "comfortable" places like "McDonalds" or "Mexican restaurants" to celebrate.

"He loves Mexican food, period. But we go, we'll go sit in a booth, if it's an anniversary or just sometimes on a Saturday," she said. "We know where to go before the crowd comes. He doesn't like big crowds."

Related: Dolly Parton Reveals the Real Reason Why Her Husband Doesn't Attend Events with Her: 'Don't Ever Ask Me to Go to Another'

Though he doesn't enjoy being under the spotlight, Parton said she loves him "like he is."

"Everybody loves Carl. He don't want me to tell the world nothing about Carl, so there you go. I can talk what I want to, but he'll say, 'Just leave me out the whole damn thing,'" she quipped.

Elsewhere in the episode, Parton revealed the reason why he doesn't attend award shows with her.

"He loves music, but he's not the least bit interested in being in it. And he told me that right up front," she said.

In 1967, the year after they got married, she "begged him" to go to one with her — and he never went back.

"I rented him a tux and, you know, begged him to go, and he did," added Parton. "And, oh, he was so uncomfortable the whole night."

After they got home, he started "pulling off stuff" and told her how he felt.

Related: Dolly Parton Gives Rare Insight into Her Successful 58-Year Marriage to Husband Carl Dean in New Interview

"He said, ‘Look, now I want you to do everything you want to do, and I wish you the best, but don't ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things because I ain't going.’ And he never did," she recalled.

She continued, "So we just kinda have that respect, and I respected that because I didn't know he was gonna be that uneasy, but he doesn't even like to go out to, you know, to big dinners or anything like that."

Parton and Dean renewed their vows in 2016 at their home in Nashville. In 2018, she opened up about the secret to their strong marriage in a cover story interview with PEOPLE.

"I always joke and laugh when people ask me what’s the key to my long marriage and lasting love. I always say ‘Stay gone!’ and there’s a lot of truth to that. I travel a lot, but we really enjoy each other when we’re together and the little things we do.”

Read the original article on People