Dolly Parton Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Dolly Parton dresses as Playboy Bunny for husband's birthday

By Megan Armstrong | Last updated Jul 21, 2021 2:09 PM ET

"Remember, some time back, I said I was gonna pose on the Playboy magazine when I was 75?" the country music and pop culture icon says in a video she tweeted Tuesday (July 20). "Well, I'm 75, and they don't have a magazine anymore, but my husband always loved the original cover of Playboy."

Parton was dressed exactly as she had been for a 1978 Playboy cover for her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, and his 79th birthday:

It’s always #HotGirlSummer for my husband, Carl Happy birthday my love! pic.twitter.com/utz7Atpk3F
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) July 20, 2021

"I was trying to think of something to do to make him happy," the 10-time Grammy winner continued. "He still thinks I'm a hot chick after 57 years, and I'm not gonna try to talk him out of that."

Parton explained that she had a photoshoot done of her in her Playboy Bunny outfit, "had a cover made" and surprised Dean with a framed version of her 1978 cover side-by-side with the new photo.

"I was kind of a little bit of a butterball in that one [from 1978], well, I'm string cheese now!" she jokes.

Parton voiced her intention to cover Playboy again at 75 during a sit-down with 60 Minutes Australia that was posted March 8, 2020:

“Well, I don't plan to retire. I just turned 74!“ With her signature charm and unique voice, it’s so easy to see why fans will always love @DollyParton #60Mins pic.twitter.com/RlPme7tumJ
— 60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) March 8, 2020

Just 10 days later, Playboy CEO Ben Kohn penned an open letter announcing the print publication had been suspended.

Parton privately wed Dean in May 1966.

Megan Armstrong

Megan Armstrong (@megankarmstrong) is a writer whose work has appeared in places such as Billboard, GQ, Esquire, Bleacher Report, Uproxx, and others. Megan has also produced various podcasts and hosted a daily radio show at Mizzou. She grew up obsessed with sports — impressing adults by memorizing NFL statistics as a kindergartner — and grew into an obsession with music

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