Miley Cyrus has shared a heartfelt tribute to her godmother, country music legend Dolly Parton, after her passing earlier this week.
The announcement of Parton’s death was made on Tuesday, August 25, confirming that the 80-year-old icon died after a brief battle with cancer.
Parton had been open about her health struggles in recent months, sharing updates about managing long-neglected issues while caring for her husband of 58 years, Carl Dean, who passed away the previous year.
Since the news of her death, an outpouring of tributes has come from fellow artists and public figures, including Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Eminem, Elton John, Mick Jagger, Cyndi Lauper, Oprah Winfrey, Barbra Streisand, Jack White, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Kelly Clarkson, Debbie Harry, Shania Twain, Barack Obama, and Beyoncé.
In her tribute, Cyrus, who affectionately called Parton “Aunt Dolly”—a nickname also used during Parton’s guest appearance on Hannah Montana—reflected on their most intimate moments: “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 and between our hearts.”
Cyrus 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. 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.”
Parton and Cyrus have collaborated multiple times, including Cyrus’s appearance on Parton’s 2020 Christmas album A Holly Dolly Christmas, which also featured Billy Ray Cyrus, Michael Bublé, Jimmy Fallon, and Willie Nelson. Parton explained at the time, “She was working on her own project and I said, ‘I’m not going to ask you to put it out as a single, I know you got your own thing, but you have to sing on this album with me… because you’re like family, and I’m probably never going to do another Christmas album.’”
The duo also performed their joint cover of Wrecking Ball and I Will Always Love You at Cyrus’s New Year’s Eve party in 2022, and have regularly blended Jolene live throughout their careers.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump honored Parton’s legacy, ordering flags to fly at half-mast nationwide for a week. On Truth Social, he called her “one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER,” describing her passing as “a true loss” for millions worldwide.
Renowned for her philanthropy, Parton’s Imagination Library has distributed over 300 million books to children globally. She also contributed significantly to disaster relief efforts, including Hurricane Helene support and COVID-19 vaccine funding.
In an NME obituary, Jordan Bassett wrote: “As we all reel from Dolly Parton’s death, that glorious 2014 Glastonbury set may prove a balm. Introducing ‘Coat Of Many Colors’, her 1971 country hit about a patchwork coat sewn by her mother, this humble ‘farmer’s daughter’ paid tribute to her family’s love and resilience. Resplendent in her rhinestone suit, she embodied both qualities as a unifying icon. The world has become more divided since that set, but everyone will always love Dolly.”
