After being married to her husband Carl Dean for 54 years, country music legend Dolly Parton knows a thing or two about marriage. In a recent conversation with her fellow country singer Gabby Barrett, Parton gave some marriage advice to the newlywed and mom-to-be.

In a video for PEOPLE magazine, Parton credited her decades-long marriage to Dean to “sensible separation” and their opposites-attract relationship. She began by talking to Barrett, who found fame on “American Idol,” about the “great friendship” she has with Dean, 78.

“We’re both funny, and we both have a great and warped sense of humor so we’ve always had a good time,” the 74 year-old singer said. “He’s pretty much a loner and a homebody, and I’m a gypsy. But when I’m home, I love that. 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.”

“I’ve always made jokes that the reason our marriage has lasted so long is because I stay gone. Well, there’s a lot of truth in that. We’re not in each other’s face all the time,” Parton added. “I think there’s a lot to be said about having some sensible separation because you can’t be with somebody 24/7, 365 and not want to smack their face now and then.”

The “Jolene” singer went on to say that she and Dean “have never fought” and instead choose to walk away if they get “pissy” with each other. They then only reconvene once they have both calmed down.

“Then if you get that worked out, smack him across the head,” Parton joked.

“Marriage is a business too, and you got to look at it like that,” she explained to Barrett, 20. “You got to make the right decisions for all the little things that come up.”

Parton then said that the first year of marriage is always “the hardest” because both husband and wife are still trying to figure the other one out.

“That’s the year that you get the most rubbed wrong only because you’re having to share space with somebody you’ve never had to share your space with before,” Parton said. “Your habits are different than theirs so you got to work those little things out.”

Barrett just got married to her fellow “American Idol” alum Cade Foehner last year. She was participating in this conversation with Parton after it was announced that Barrett will be covering the legend’s 1973 hit “I Will Always Love You” for Amazon Music.