Dolly Parton gives the best advice.
The country singer, 79, drew on her experience losing her husband, Carl Dean, earlier this year as she offered heartfelt words to Kelly Clarkson following Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock’s death.
“I think you just have to be grateful for the years that you’ve had with someone and you just try to remember the very best of all that,” Parton told Entertainment Tonight in an interview published Tuesday.
“Take their energy that they have given you … and kinda just recycle that and let that become a part of you,” she continued. “Just honor their memory and just know they’re in a better place than we are these days.”
The “9 to 5” singer also said that while she has yet to reach out to Clarkson, 43, she plans to “catch up with her” after she finishes doing press for her upcoming book, “Star of the Show: My Life on Stage.”
Parton became a widow in March after her husband of 59 years passed away at age 82.
“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years,” Parton shared after Dean’s death. “Thank you for your prayers and sympathy. The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time.”
During an interview with Knox News in March, Parton opened up about how she was coping without her longtime significant other.
“I’m doing better than I thought I would,” she said. “I’ve been with him 60 years. So, I’m going to have to relearn some of the things that we’ve done. But I’ll keep him always close.”
Clarkson, for her part, suffered the loss of her ex-husband and the father of her two children last week.
Blackstock died after a lengthy battle with melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. He was 48.
“He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family,” a rep for Blackstock’s family told The Post. “We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
Blackstock and Clarkson were married from 2013 until the “Stronger” singer filed for divorce in 2020.
They settled their divorce in 2022 following a long and nasty legal battle and a fight for custody of their children.
Clarkson has yet to speak out about Blackstock’s death — but she’s said to be “devastated” for her kids River, 11, and Remington, 9, over the tragedy.
“When she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake,” an insider told People on Friday.
Blackstock’s obituary revealed that he was in a relationship with Clarkson’s former assistant, Brittney Marie Jones, at the time of his death.
