Parton usually attends the Dollywood opening celebration, but many expected her not to show due to her husbands

Parton’s interview came less than two weeks after Parton posted a “love note to family, friends and fans” on Instagram in honor of her late husband. “Thank you for all the messages, cards and flowers that you’ve sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl,” she wrote on March 6.

The country superstar also spoke about adjusting to life without Carl Thomas Dean, who died on March 3 at the age of 82.