You Won’t Believe These Unseen Moments That Reveal the Heartfelt Bond Between Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus—Prepare to Be Moved!
Ever wonder what it’s like when country music royalty becomes your personal lifeline, mentor, and yes, your very own “Aunt Dolly”? The world knew Dolly Parton as the queen of country music, but to Miley Cyrus, she was family in the truest sense—a guiding light behind the sparkle and stage lights. When Dolly passed away at 80 on August 25, it wasn’t just a loss for the music world; it was deeply personal for Miley, who shared heartfelt reflections on their bond filled with private moments, mentorship, and countless collaborations. From Dolly’s surprise cameos on Hannah Montana to emotional Grammy performances, their relationship was a beautiful blend of legacy and love. So, how did this dynamic duo’s story unfold through the years? Let’s dive into those touching, funny, and unforgettable moments that showed the world the magic behind the music. LEARN MORE
5 min readThe world knew Dolly Parton as the queen of country music, but, to Miley Cyrus, she was Aunt Dolly.
As Cyrus’s godmother, Parton, who died at 80 on August 25, became a frequent musical collaborator and mentor. Parton previously made cameos on Cyrus’s Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana and, in later years, even performed with her onstage at the Grammys.
“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share,” Cyrus wrote in a touching tribute to Parton earlier this week. “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.”
Cyrus continued: “One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis. 🦋 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.”
Ahead, Harper’s Bazaar rounded up some of the sweetest moments between Parton and Cyrus over the years.
The Early ’90s: Billy Ray Cyrus asks Dolly to be his daughter’s godmother
Parton, who was unable to have children of her own, revealed that Cyrus’s father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, asked her to be his child’s godmother after the two developed a close friendship while touring together in the early ’90s.
“He said, ‘You know, we’re having a girl, and you’ve got to be her godmother,’” Parton explained during a 2023 appearance on the Howard Stern Show. “I said, ‘Well I’d be honored.’ So actually, Miley and I took over from there, and we’ve just stayed very, very close through the years.”
2006–2010: Dolly cameos on Hannah Montana
![Two women with blonde hair smiling together in a kitchen setting, wearing stylish outfits with big hairstyles.](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/f734d52b-9b5e-45d6-86b6-59c7e9515103.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Disney's "Hannah Montana" - Season Two")
Parton supported Cyrus’s burgeoning career as a Disney star by appearing on her sitcom, Hannah Montana. Parton played a recurring meta role as Aunt Dolly, the godmother to Cyrus’s character Miley Stewart. Over the years, she appeared in three episodes:
- Season 1, Episode 16: “Good Golly, Miss Dolly” (2006)
- Season 2, Episode 20: “I Will Always Loathe You” (2007)
- Season 4, Episode 11: “Kiss It All Goodbye” (2010)
Cyrus recalled working with Parton for Hannah Montana in a 2021 essay for Time.
“I remember when she came in to do a table read for ‘Hannah Montana’ in all her bedazzled glory. Her smell, the way her nails tapped the table, the sound it made when she flipped the pages of the script—I could see that she fascinated other people too,” Cyrus wrote. “A living fantasy was in front of all of us.”
2010: They sing “Jolene” together
Cyrus made a special appearance for Parton’s Hallmark special, Dolly Celebrates 25 Years of Dollywood. The duo shared the stage to sing a rendition of Parton’s iconic 1974 song, “Jolene.”
2016: Miley brings Dolly to The Voice.
When Cyrus worked as a judge on season 11 of The Voice, she invited her godmother to appear on the show for a special joint performance. Alongside Pentatonix, Cyrus and Parton once again sang “Jolene” together onstage.
2017: Dolly features on Miley’s album, Younger Now
The third track on Cyrus’s 2017 album, Younger Now, includes a collaboration with Parton. In addition to featuring Parton’s vocals, “Rainbowland” begins with a voicemail Parton left Cyrus in which she says, “Hey Miley, it’s me. I’m in Nashville. I’m on my way to Dollywood, busy as you are. Can’t get enough stuff to do. But anyway, I’m excited about singing with you. So I’m just gonna turn my CD player on with you singing, I’m gon’ put this on a cassette, sing along with it, and then I’ll run you off a CD later. Oh, I’m so high tech I got a flip phone, too. But anyhow, see what you think and here I go.”
2019: Miley supports Dolly as MusiCares’ Person of the Year
When Parton was honored as MusiCares’s 2019 Person of the Year, Cyrus supported her godmother on the red carpet. That night, she also paid tribute to Parton’s legacy by performing a rendition of Parton and Kenny Rogers’s 1983 song “Islands in the Stream” alongside Shawn Mendes and Mark Ronson.
2019: They perform at the Grammys
Parton and Cyrus once again shared the stage at the 61st annual Grammy Awards ceremony. They were also joined by other artists, including Katy Perry, Kacey Musgraves, and Maren Morris.
2020: Dolly recruits Miley for a Christmas carol
For her 2020 holiday album, Parton recruited her goddaughter for a feature on “Christmas Is.”
Cyrus later recalled the collaboration during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show. “Dolly reached out about doing a Christmas record with her and only for Dolly Parton do you sing a Christmas carol in July,” Cyrus said, per People. “But she makes physical records and so she had to get it turned in. I was singing about Christmas in the middle of L.A. summer, and only for Dolly.”
2021: Miley writes a profile of Dolly for Time
Cyrus penned a sweet tribute to her godmother when Parton was announced as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2021.
“Dolly is not only my idol because of her incomparable career—she’s also my role model because of her steadfast morals and values,” Cyrus wrote. “There’s a theory that you shouldn’t meet your heroes, but I wish everyone had the chance to meet Dolly Parton, because she’s even better than your sparkliest dreams. She may be my fairy godmother, but I think she’s that to everyone else too. I am happy to share her with the world.”
2022: Miley appears in Dolly’s Christmas special
Cyrus made a special appearance on Parton’s holiday musical special, Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas. Other celebrity guest stars included Cyrus’s father Billy Ray, as well as Jimmy Fallon and Willie Nelson.
2022: Dolly and Miley co-host a New Year’s Eve special
Parton and Cyrus joined forces as co-hosts to ring in the New Year together for NBC and Peacock’s special program, Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party. Together, the duo welcomed other celebrity guests—like Paris Hilton, Chloe Fineman, Latto, Sia, and David Byrne—and sang several duets together, including “Wrecking Ball,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “Jolene.”
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