How Were Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus Related? Their Bond Explained

Dolly Parton never had children with her husband, Carl Dean, but she shared a close, maternal bond with her goddaughter Miley Cyrus.

Through the years, Parton and Cyrus spoke lovingly about their relationship in several interviews. When the Queen of Country was named to the Time 100 list in 2021, the "Wrecking Ball" songstress called her godmother her "idol."

"Have you ever met anyone who doesn't love Dolly Parton? I never have," Cyrus wrote in an essay. "Dolly is not only my idol because of her incomparable career — she's also my role model because of her steadfast morals and values."

She added, "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."

Two years later, Parton told Howard Stern that Cyrus was her "little sweetheart" and expressed how proud she was of her.

"Well she's asked me a lot of things, and she mostly just runs things by me, and we talk," she gushed. "I mean she's very successful. Miley's very smart. She's very intuitive about the business, and I just think Miley is a spectacular human being and an amazing talent."

Following Parton's death, OK! looks back at her longtime relationship with Cyrus and the family-like bond they shared.

In a September 2024 interview with Access Hollywood, Parton learned that Ancestry.com had reviewed their family records and found that she and Cyrus shared a common ancestor.

According to the 2024 report titled "Dolly Parton & Miley Cyrus Are Related – Ancestry," John Brickey was Parton's sixth great-grandfather and Cyrus' seventh great-grandfather, making them seventh cousins once removed.

"He later moved to Blount County, Tennessee with his wife and children and remained there until his death in 1806. The Brickey family originated from France and the family came to the United States in the late 1600s," the description reads.

"Is that true? That's amazing!" Parton reacted. "Well, we're so close, Miley and I. I would've thought we would've been at least third cousins, 10 times removed. I'm sure she'll get a kick out of that, but it doesn't surprise me because she does feel like family."

Long before discovering they were distantly related, Parton and Cyrus shared a real-life godmother-goddaughter bond.

In the early 1990s, the Hannah Montana alum's father, Billy Ray Cyrus, asked Dolly to serve as Miley's godmother.

"We toured together," she said of Billy Ray. "I was on tour, and then Billy toured with me, and so that's how we just got to be good friends."

Dolly added, "He said, 'You know, we're having a girl, and you've got to be her godmother. 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."

The "Jolene" singer died on August 25 at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer.

Miley penned an emotional tribute the following day, saying the feeling of losing her "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," she added. "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 "Flowers" singer said she "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," Miley concluded.