Country music legend Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean died on March 3 this year.

Dolly Parton has confessed she “has not stopped crying” after the legendary music venue The Grande Ole Opry paid tribute to her late husband Carl Dean as part of their 100th anniversary show. On Wednesday night (March 19) the 100-year-live concert celebration, a three-hour concert special in honor of its century-long legacy, was brought to a close with an emotional tribute to Carl and Dolly, 79, who could not appear at the show in person. Around 50 members of the Opry, including Reba McIntyre and Carrie Underwood, formed a choir to perform her classic track I Will Always Love You.

Taking to Instagram Dolly admitted she was deeply moved byt he gesture. “I have not stopped crying over the beautiful tribute of ‘I Will Always Love You’ on the 100th Anniversry of the Grand Ole Opry show,” she wrote. “All those beautiful people with their beautiful voices singing my somg as a tribute to my husband Carl…the emotion was beyond words. I have cried enough to wash a great deal of pain away so thanks to all of you beautiful people that helped make that possible. I also will always love you,” she said.

Dolly Parton has reacted to a touching tribute to her late husband Carl Dean (Image: Getty)

Prior to the tribute a video of Dolly was played, “Well hello, I am Dolly Parton and I am a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry,” she said.

“And I am so sorry that I can’t be there with everybody in person, but of course you know my heart is with you and my spirit is with you.

“I wanted to be on the Grand Ole Opry my whole life when I was a little kid, ’cause that’s just what you do when you sing country music, that’s where you want to go,” she continued.

“And I am proud to say that my family, all the folks at the Grand Ole Opry, are very near and dear to me. And I have been a member of the Opry for 56 years.”

A choir of Grande Ole Opry members paid tribute to Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean (Image: Getty)

Dolly’s famously reclusive husband Carl Dean died in Nashville at the age of 82 on March 3. He had been married to the music icon for almost six decades.

In a heartfelt discussion with Knox News this week, Dolly revealed she was “doing better” than she expected following the devastating loss.

“I’m doing better than I thought I would. I’ve been with him 60 years. He suffered a great deal. I’m at peace that he’s at peace, but that don’t keep me from missing him and loving him.

“It’s a hole in my heart, you know, but we’ll fill that up with good stuff and he’ll still always be with me.”