She said that she is putting her songwriting on hold for the time being and focusing on other projects. She will perform a limited residency in Las Vegas, for example.

“My husband passed away three months ago,” Parton said. “When you ask me if there’s stuff that I’ve started, haven’t finished… there are times like that, things like that that would will stall you a little bit. But I’ll write something else though, if it comes. I’m just putting that all on hold.”

She has spoken about how important writing is to her

Parton’s step away from writing is significant, as she values her creative process. She typically writes every day.

“Writing’s just as natural to me as getting up and cooking breakfast,” she told The New York Times. “I ain’t never far away from a pencil and paper or a tape recorder. I write every day, even when I’m on a plane, in the tub, or on the bus. It burns in me. Songwriting is my way of channeling my feelings and my thoughts.”

She said that on her most prolific day of writing, she put 20 songs to paper and eventually recorded 15 of them.

Dolly Parton released a song about her husband after his death

While Parton said she does not feel ready to write anything further about Dean, she put out one song about their relationship. Days after Dean’s death, she released “If You Hadn’t Been There” in memory of her late husband.

“I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old,” Parton wrote in an Instagram post. “We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.”

“I wouldn’t be here / If you hadn’t been there / Holding my hand / Showing you care / You made me dream / More than I dared / And I wouldn’t be here / If you hadn’t been there,” she sings.