ABC/Image Group LAIn conjunction with the release of her cover of “I Will Always Love You,” Gabby Barrett hopped on a video chat with Dolly Parton recently to talk life, love and all things music with the legendary performer.

When she wasn’t picking Dolly’s brain for tips on managing a successful career in country music, Gabby asked the legend for advice on maintaining a happy, long-lasting marriage. With nearly a year of marriage to fellow artist Cade Foehner under her belt, Gabby is currently expecting her first child, a baby girl.

For her part, Dolly has an impressive track record when it comes to marriage: She and her husband, Carl Dean, have been going strong for 54 years.

Part of what’s kept them going is a respect for each other’s differences, Dolly pointed out. While Dolly is comfortable in the spotlight, Carl is more of a behind-the-scenes type.

“He’s pretty much a loner and a homebody, and I’m a gypsy. But when I’m home, I love that,” she explains. “We don’t do the same thing so it gives us different stuff to talk about. He doesn’t get involved in my business, and I don’t in his, so we have our own little world that we create for ourselves.”

Dolly adds that she and Carl have “never fought,” but that doesn’t mean maintaining a good relationship comes easily all the time.

“You have to work at anything. Marriage is a business, too, and you got to look at it like that,” Dolly explains. “You got to make the right decisions for all the little things that come up.”

By Carena Liptak
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