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Dolly Parton Opens Up About Grieving the Loss of Her Husband Carl Dean

Dolly Parton is opening up about life after the loss of her husband, Carl Dean.

In a conversation with Khloé Kardashian on her podcast Khloé in Wonder Land, Parton revealed that she’s still grieving and has taken a break from songwriting in the wake of his passing.

Khloe Kardashian, Dolly Parton; Photo via Khloé in Wonder Land.
Khloe Kardashian, Dolly Parton; Photo via Khloé in Wonder Land.

“My husband passed away three months ago. … Several things I’ve wanted to start, but I can’t do it,” Parton told Kardashian. 

Dolly and Carl Dean were married for nearly 60 years before he passed away in early March. With a love that truly stood the test of time, it’s no surprise that the grieving process is still ongoing.

“I will later, but I’m just coming up with such wonderful, beautiful ideas. But I think I won’t finish it,” she explained. 

Amid her busy life, which includes serving as the “Dreamer in Chief” at Dollywood and running a full-blown empire, Parton continues to navigate her grief. She’ll get back to writing songs when she’s ready. 

“I can’t do it right now because I’ve got so many other things that I can’t afford the luxury of getting that emotional right now,” she said. 

Dolly Parton, Carl Dean; Photo Courtesy Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton, Carl Dean; Photo Courtesy Dolly Parton

Parton also opened up about her relationship with Carl Dean, who remained out of the spotlight during the nearly six decades they were married. 

“We were different people. He loved music, but he was a loner,” explained.. “He did not want a bunch of people around him except me. Of course he had friends, but he was also the same way. He’d rather be at the barn, be on the farm all day, and if he was gonna go sell a loader or buy a loader or have somebody come work on one of his trucks or tractors, he’d have to let people in.”

While they were very different, they were also very similar, Parton pointed out. 

Dolly Parton, Carl Dean; Photo Courtesy Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton, Carl Dean; Photo Courtesy Dolly Parton

“But I really think that there’s just certain personalities that are great for each other. And we were together 61 year. We were just so different, but we were so similar. We were perfect, as far as the temperature in the house. We didn’t fight over that ‘cause we both were comfortable at the same thing. Just so many things we were compatible about, and we just got along great.” 

Carl Dean passed away on March 3, 2025. He was 82 years old. 

“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” Parton shared at the time. “Words can’t do justice for the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.” 

Following his death, Parton released a heartfelt new song, “If You Hadn’t Been There,” in his honor. 

The post Dolly Parton Opens Up About Grieving the Loss of Her Husband Carl Dean appeared first on Country Now.

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Greylan James Reveals How a Kenny Chesney Concert Sparked His Country Music Dream

Greylan James has been chasing his country music dreams for as long as he can remember, and growing up in East Tennessee, he didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Right about the time he was taking an interest in music, fellow East Tennessee native Kenny Chesney was blowing up. It made the dream of becoming a country singer feel a little more within reach for Greylan.

“I grew up in East Tennessee, so there was always music around, and right when I was a kid, Kenny Chesney was becoming a massive superstar. And so, when I was starting to take guitar lessons, starting to take singing lessons, everybody had a story about how they saw Kenny Chesney come up. And they were like, ‘If you keep on, you’ll become the next Kenny Chesney.’” 

Photo Courtesy Greylan James
Photo Courtesy Greylan James

What happened next proved to be a life-altering moment for young Greylan James.   

“My parents got tickets when I was seven years old to Kenny Chesney at Neyland Stadium, and it was my first ever concert. So, I was two years removed from getting that first guitar, and seeing it in action, seeing somebody on that big of a stage was insane for me. And so, that was definitely the moment I was like, ‘Alright, that’s what I wanna do.’ It was a life changing experience,” he shared. 

When he was 10, Greylan had the chance to meet Chesney in what would become a moment he’s never forget. 

Kenny Chesney, Greylan James; Photo via Instagram
Kenny Chesney, Greylan James; Photo via Instagram

“I first met him briefly when I was about 10 years old. My bluegrass band was playing at a fundraiser. He was there. Peyton Manning was there too, and 10-year-old me was freaking out,” he previously revealed to Country Now. “I got to walk up to him with my dad. I had also just gotten my first C on a science test, which devastated my family. I remember telling my dad about my report card, and he was like, ‘No. That’s unacceptable.’ But I said, ‘It doesn’t matter. I’m going to be fine. I’m going to be a country music star.’ It just happened to be that night that I met Kenny.” 

When Greylan’s dad asked Chesney if he had any advice for the young singer, he told him a valuable message. 

“Kenny was like, ‘Two pieces of advice. Stay in school and learn to write songs because songwriting will be your ticket.’ I never forgot that,” Greylan promised. 

Greylan James, Kenny Chesney; Photo via Instagram
Greylan James, Kenny Chesney; Photo via Instagram

Greylan James experienced a full-circle moment when Kenny Chesney recorded “Happy Does,” a song he co-wrote. It’s a moment he’ll never forget,  and one he’ll always be grateful for.

Now, Greylan is continuing his journey as a solo artist with the release of “Greylan James • “Water At A Wedding”,” out this Friday. The song has already generated major buzz, racking up nearly 10 million views across platforms ahead of its release.

The post Greylan James Reveals How a Kenny Chesney Concert Sparked His Country Music Dream appeared first on Country Now.

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Scotty McCreery Faces Heartbreaking Double Loss As Both Of His Grandmothers Die Hours Apart

Scotty McCreery and his family have suffered unimaginable loss. On Wednesday, July 9, both of his grandmothers, Janet Hunter Cooke and Paquita McCreery,  passed away just hours apart. 

The devastating news was shared by Scotty’s mother, Judy McCreery, in a heartfelt post on her public Facebook page. In her message, Judy opened up about the pain of losing both her mother and her mother-in-law on the same day. She shared details about their final moments and expressed her gratitude for the love and prayers being sent her family’s way.

Scotty McCreery; Photo by Jeff Ray
Scotty McCreery; Photo by Jeff Ray

“Here is a post I hoped I wouldn’t be making for several years. My precious mom, age 85, passed away yesterday at WakeMed, shortly after 1pm,” Judy began. “She had been battling norovirus & the flu, which led to dehydration and pneumonia. My heart is broken. I have to accept it was her time.”

Janet Hunter Cooke was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Perry, “R.P.” Cooke. 

She went on to reveal that her mother-in-law passed away on the same day, just a few hours later. 

“This is hard to fathom, but we also lost Mike’s mom, Paquita, yesterday, a few hours later at 4pm,” she wrote. “She was 93 and had been in declining health.” 

Paquita McCreery was preceded in death by her husband, Bill McCreery, who passed away in 2015. Scotty credits his grandad Bill for his deep voice. Fans were introduced to Paquita when she appeared on Celebrity Family Feud alongside the country star.

Judy shared that they plan to celebrate her mother’s life on Monday, July 14. Services for her mother-in-law, Paquita, are pending. 

“Thank you for your thoughts and prayers,” she added. 

Scotty McCreery Shares His Heartbreak

Following his mother’s post, Scotty McCreery soon took to social media to share the news and ask fans for their prayers.

“My heart is absolutely broken. Yesterday, both my Grandma Janet and my Grandma Paquita passed away. I think I am still in a bit of shock as I type this, but I’m choosing to remember the great memories we all made with both of them,” he wrote.

The North Carolina native admitted there are “too many” great memories to count when it comes to his beloved grandmothers.

“There really are too many to count. “From being on the farm in Elizabeth City or visiting the Outer Banks with Grandma Janet.. And then the incredible memories we made at the backyard pool in Pinehurst, all the way to visiting Puerto Rico with Grandma Paquita. Both of them truly taught me what love is all about,” he shared. “I will miss them dearly. If yall could keep my family in your prayers I’d appreciate it.”

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.

The post Scotty McCreery Faces Heartbreaking Double Loss As Both Of His Grandmothers Die Hours Apart appeared first on Country Now.

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Hip Hop

What’s Really Going On With JAY-Z & Nicki Minaj?

What’s really going on between Nicki Minaj and JAY-Z? I’ve been trying to figure it out because some of the things Nicki has been saying lately just don’t add up. I admit I don’t know it all. In my opinion, some of her comments have been completely outrageous.

READ ALSO: Nicki Minaj Says JAY-Z Owes Her Hundreds Of Millions, Ruined Hip-Hop, Basketball & Football

And after all this time, it’s surprising to see this much venom directed at JAY-Z, one of the people who helped elevate her career in the early days. But that’s just how I see it. Nicki has her own side of the story, which is playing out on social media. Either way, what we think doesn’t really change the facts. There’s a lot of noise happening on social media, especially on Twitter, but what are the actual legal moves behind the scenes?

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What I gather, Nicki believes Jay is responsible for derailing her career and paper. She wants compensation for her her financial instability to the tune of 100 million smackeroos. One post claimed she never got her equity in Tidal because she didn’t sign off on her paperwork. That mistake allegedly cost her millions. The thread goes even further, saying she’s now facing financial losses, has liens against her name and was forced to tour for free to cover debts. Allegedly. The post basically accuses Jay of foul play—and that includes Roc Nation, which once managed her and is a branch of Live Nation.

What’s interesting is that these claims might be breadcrumbs to a deeper story. But again, I can’t tell what’s real and what’s just smoke. So check this out and let me know what you think.

Now, there’s this: this tweet seems to be something the OP paraphrased from mogul Steve Stoute. Everybody knows he’s considered one of JAY-Z’s closest allies. The OP repackaged them as their own take. Later in the thread, the person admitted the information came from Stoute. Stoute is likely to support Jay’s narrative rather than Nicki’s. By the way, Jay hasn’t commented publicly. Still, even filtered through that lens, it provides some perspective into how business deals may have gone sideways.

Jigga and Nicki’s relationship, it hasn’t always been this tense. At one point, Jigga Man co-signed Nicki. From my POV, he and others put her in position to win, bringing her to broader audiences. At this point, I’m thinking I could be wrong. Now, we are deep in the mess.

Nicki even posted cryptic comments last year, hinting at betrayal. This beef has been simmering for a while. Follow the smoke, folks. If it ever came down to bars, Nicki’s pen is still crazy.

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Here’s more:

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French Montana & Dubai Princess: Is Bag Secured?

French Montana and royalty? That’s the headline we didn’t know we needed this summer. The Bronx-raised, battle-DVD-tested, Morocco-born rapper has apparently locked in with an actual princess from Dubai. A real princess, ya’all. This sounds like a movie.

Let me back up. I know how this sounds, but I’m going to give myself some space to act out. Don’t judge me. Don’t @ me. Let’s just walk through this.

For those of us who go back with French, we remember when he was the DVD kingpin….all Coke Boys, all street raps, all hoodie days. The dude was documenting—literally interviewing—the New York underworld. So to see this guy holding hands with someone who probably has more money than Trump is crazy work.

The internet got a taste of their love and went crazy. It was giving us Jay Electronica and Kate Emma Rothschild vibes. French looked like he just got baptized. The princess was flawless. No cap. You know we all said, “He secured the bag!”

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But I’m thinking this is love. Word on the street is that the princess’s father—ahem, The King—fully approves of the relationship.

On the low, people are also happy French Montana avoided that Diddy crap. French has kept his name squeaky clean. That’s not luck. “He’s out of here” is the message I’m receiving.

French Montana’s life as a rapper hasn’t exactly been poppin’ as of late. But that doesn’t mean he fell off. That just means the landscape shifted. Some of us are sitting in our “Ted Bundy chairs,” as he takes the throne. We once played Coke Wave mixtapes and now play podcasts on 2x-speed. It is what it is.

But you know what? French Montana looks happy and healthy. Flex, brother, flex! Now, I’m about to go play some Montana music and find my princess. Let the Googling of flights to Dubai begin.

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Hip Hop

Kanye West’s Planned Appearance Causes Entire Hip-Hop Festival To Be Canceled

Kanye West received some bad news from Slovakia after protests and artist boycotts led to the cancelation of his headlining gig at the Rubicon Festival.

The Rubicon Festival, which was supposed to go down July 18–20 outside Bratislava, was completely scrapped after locals freaked out because West’s name was on the bill.

The rapper was listed as the main act for what promoters had hyped as his only European show of the year, but that plan fell apart quickly.

Organizers dropped the news on Instagram, saying, “It is with regret that we announce: Rubicon Festival will not take place this year. This was not an easy decision. Due to media pressure and the withdrawal of several artists and partners, we were unable to deliver the festival at the standard of quality you deserve.”

They added, “We understand this news is disappointing, and we truly apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused.”

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Translation: too many people bailed and the backlash got too loud.

The drama kicked off last month when more than 6,000 people signed a petition demanding Kanye West be dropped from the lineup.

The petition slammed him for “repeatedly and openly adhering to symbols and (an) ideology connected with the darkest period of modern global history.”

Slovak media also threw some shade, pointing out that the festival site was literally just a wheat field.

West has been under fire for dropping a track called “Heil Hitler” and selling s####### tees on his site earlier this year.

Meanwhile, another outlet reported that West might hit the stage in Prague this September, but no official confirmation has been made. As of now, West hasn’t said a word about the cancellation.

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Hip Hop

Mariah Carey Goes Viral Over Jeff Bezos Wedding Reply

Mariah Carey shut down a nosy paparazzo in Malibu after getting hit with a random question about Jeff Bezos’ over-the-top wedding in Italy.

The Mariah Carey moment happened earlier this week when she was out strolling with her crew in Malibu and got ambushed by a photographer who clearly thought they were slick.

The dude asked her, “What did you think about Jeff Bezos’s wedding?” and without missing a beat, Mariah hit him with a dry, “I wasn’t there.”

But the pap didn’t stop there. He pushed again, asking, “Were you not invited or what?” That’s when Mariah clapped back with a sharp, “Oh, don’t turn this into that.

The clip, which popped up on TikTok via the Paparazzi Videos account, instantly blew up.

Social media went wild, with folks comparing it to her legendary “I don’t know her” moment from 2003 when she shaded Jennifer Lopez without even blinking.

One person joked, “She doesn’t know them,” while another added, “I was waiting for her to say… I don’t know them.” Someone else chimed in, “Haha she doesn’t care about Bezos wedding, she’s Mariah Carey!”

The Bezos bash was a three-day flex in Venice, Italy, packed with A-listers like Kim Kardashian and Orlando Bloom, but clearly, Mariah wasn’t on the guest list—or didn’t care to be.

No word yet from her team, and honestly, she probably doesn’t feel the need to explain anything.

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Jay-Z Goes After “Secret Son” In Court In Attempt To Shut Him Down

Jay-Z has pushed back against a federal lawsuit from a man claiming to be his son, calling the accusations “fabricated” and part of a long-running campaign of harassment.

In newly filed court documents obtained by Us Weekly, the Hip-Hop mogul requested a federal judge dismiss the case brought by 32-year-old Rymir Satterthwaite, who filed the suit on May 6.

Satterthwaite alleges Jay-Z has avoided taking a paternity test and has worked to keep him quiet.

Jay-Z described the lawsuit as “just the latest” in a string of legal actions initiated by Satterthwaite and his godmother.

“The fabricated allegations and claims have been addressed – and rejected – in multiple other courts, and continued harassment and disregard of those orders has already resulted in a contempt order,” the filing states.

Satterthwaite claims his mother, Wanda, had a relationship with Jay-Z in the early 1990s. After her death, he was raised by his godmother. In the lawsuit, he accuses the rapper and his associates of attempting to silence him and suppress the truth about his alleged paternity.

He told the Daily Mail in December, “Why can’t he prove me wrong? Go to the courtroom and do what everyone else has to do. I can take a no. I can take being embarrassed. I just can’t take him not saying anything. It is not fair.”

Satterthwaite maintains he isn’t seeking money or attention but wants clarity. He alleges that Jay-Z has never directly responded to his claims or agreed to a DNA test.

The legal dispute has spanned multiple jurisdictions over the years, with previous attempts to pursue the case reportedly being dismissed. A

According to the court documents, Jay-Z’s legal team argues that the matter has already been resolved in other courts and should not be revisited.

A judge has yet to rule.

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Michael Rapaport Addresses Antisemitism After Auschwitz Image Fallout: “I Apologize”

Michael Rapaport faced backlash this week after posting a digitally altered image of a Holocaust victim in a concentration camp, prompting him to issue a public apology and clarify his intentions on Thursday (July 10).

The actor addressed the controversy on Twitter (X) after sharing what he believed was an authentic photo of a concentration camp prisoner. Rapaport, who has frequently used his platform to highlight Holocaust history, admitted the particular post drew more attention than any of his previous efforts.

“The Holocaust is a stain on humanity,” he wrote. “Today there is a historic rise in antisemitism that has not been seen since the 1930’s globally. I have shared hundreds of stories and images about concentration camps on my social medias because we must never forget the atrocities committed. None of those posts got the attention that this one did.

“I apologize to any Jewish people that I have offended me by posting an image that I believed to be real. It could have been real but in this artificial world we live in, it turned out not to be. October 7th, 2023 changed me and millions of other people for better or worse. I’m not going to stop speaking out for the Jewish people and you’re welcome to run any stories you want about it. What I did and do is for all the right reasons.”

The image, which depicted a person playing a violin at Auschwitz, was later revealed to be generated by artificial intelligence.

The Auschwitz Memorial and Museum in Poland criticized Rapaport for circulating the misleading image, calling attention to the dangers of spreading inaccurate representations of historical atrocities. The museum didn’t hold back in its response, stating the image was “a fake photo generated by artificial intelligence.”

Beyond his acting and social media presence, Rapaport—a longtime Hip-Hop fanatic—directed the 2011 documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, which chronicled the rise and internal struggles of the legendary Hip-Hop group.

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Sexyy Red, Justin Bieber, Cash Cobain & Gunna Have Something In Common

Sexyy Red, Justin Bieber, Cash Cobain and Gunna? It looks like Justin Bieber might be gearing up to go berserk on his next album.

This would be his first full-length release in about four years! And from the looks of it, he’s planning to make a serious splash. Bieber has always had a strong connection to Black culture and Hip-Hop, dating back to his early collaborations with Ludacris, Big Sean, Chance The Rapper and Travis Scott. We aren’t going to mention the Diddy connection. Did I just do that? He even worked with DJ Khaled and Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. Despite his pop roots, he’s managed to stay culturally relevant and respected in the rap and R&B space.

READ ALSO: Sexyy Red Trashes “Weird” Ray J For Lying On His “Meat” & Justin Bieber Gets Involved

Lately, people have been spotting him out and about and the energy surrounding him is fueling a very loud rumor. He just might be dropping something this weekend. A surprise album packed with features from a bunch of rappers? Say less and let’s go.

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On Wednesday night (July 9), I was at an event when a Justin Bieber song came on, and honestly, it felt great. It was poppy and fun. We need more lighthearted music that is full of good energy. These days we got a lot of darker, moodier stuff. If he decides to lean into that feel-good vibe, please let them lean, too. I’m all the way here for it. After four years, don’t mess this up.

Whether he’s linking with Sexyy Red, Gunna,or someone unexpected, I’m just hoping it hits. If you’re gonna go that route, go all in, Biebs.

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