Miley Cyrus has shared an emotional tribute to her godmother, the music icon Dolly Parton, after her death aged 80.
Parton’s death was announced by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, in an Instagram video posted Tuesday afternoon. A representative said that the singer had dealt with a “brief battle with cancer.” Parton was widely regarded as the Queen of Country Music, known for her timeless hits including “9 to 5,” “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.”
Miley said on Instagram Wednesday: “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts.”
“What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.”
The post continued: “I will always love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. We’re in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things.”
The duo, who often took the stage together, are close family friends through Miley’s dad, Billy Ray Cyrus.
Parton and Billy bonded when he joined her 1992 tour as an opening act to promote his song “Achy Breaky Heart.” It was during that period that Billy asked the “9 to 5” singer if she would be godmother to his newborn baby girl, Miley.
“We just got to be good friends because he’s a Kentucky boy, I’m from Tennessee,” Parton had said previously about their relationship. “And he said … ‘We’re having a girl, and you’ve got to be her godmother!’ And I said: ‘Well, I’d be honored.’ So actually, Miley and I took over from there. We just stayed very, very close through the years.”
Dolly and Miley remained close as the latter graduated from Disney Channel star to becoming Grammy recording artist, and the two singers have collaborated on multiple occasions, including when Parton made a cameo on Hannah Montana as the character Aunt Dolly.
Parton continued to make guest appearances on the show throughout its four seasons, including an episode in season two titled “I Will Always Loathe You” — a nod to Parton's timeless song “I Will Always Love You.” In the episode, Miley dressed up like Parton, wearing a platinum blond mullet-style wig.
The pair performed a rendition of Parton’s “Jolene” together in 2012 at the 25th anniversary of Dollywood, and Miley would go on to call her godmother her role model.
In 2019, the duo sang “Jolene” together again onstage at the Grammy Awards, where they were joined by Kacey Musgraves and Katy Perry.
They also reunited in the recording studio for a reimagined rendition of Cyrus’s 2013 song “Wrecking Ball” for Parton’s 2023 album Rockstar, where the lyric “I will always want you,” was changed to “I will always love you.”
Over the years, Miley had praised her “Aunt Dolly” for supporting her throughout her career. After they collaborated on the “Wrecking Ball” duet, Parton said on X that Miley was the “most gifted person I know” and that she was proud to be her godmother.
The pair performed together at various awards season shows and festive events, including co-hosting NBC’s New Year’s Eve special in 2022.
In a tribute of his own, Billy Ray said he loved Parton with his whole heart, and shared anecdotes from their 1992 tour.
“In 1992, I’ll never forget walking into her dressing room to apologize for all the tabloid stories which claimed I was having an affair with her,” he wrote, sharing a photo carousel of pictures of them together over the years. “In true Dolly fashion, she just looked at me, winked and said, ‘Honey, this trash sells records!’”
“I have so many moments and memories with Dolly, it’s hard to know where to start. Like every little boy, I grew up loving Dolly Parton. She was a part of our lives, on our TV’s, right in our living rooms,” he continued.
“Dolly recently sent me a beautiful message, telling me she loved me with her whole heart. I will always love her in the same way ….. with my whole heart … and I always will.”
Musicians including Musgraves, Mick Jagger and Kelly Clarkson have paid tribute to Parton following her death. President Donald Trump ordered American flags to be lowered at half mast to honor country music icon.
Seaver, who had served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades, said it was “an honor mixed with absolute pride and great sadness” to be asked to represent his family in announcing her death.
“But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens,” he said.
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