Miley Cyrus Mourns Godmother Dolly Parton: 'I Will Always Love Her'
Miley Cyrus has paid tribute to her godmother and mentor Dolly Parton, who died on 25 August 2026 at the age of 80. Parton's family announced her death in a statement released by her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver (Reuters). Her publicist confirmed that Parton had cancer (Sky News).
Cyrus led the flood of public tributes with an Instagram post on 26 August. "The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share," she wrote. She kept their most precious moments private, saying: "Our most sacred moments were private and they'll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts." She closed with: "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" (Deadline).
The bond between the two ran deeper than fame. Parton told Good Morning America in 2009 that she had known Cyrus since she was a baby and took on the informal role of godmother at the request of Cyrus's father, Billy Ray Cyrus. Billy Ray posted his own tribute on the day Parton's death was announced, writing that he grew up loving her and would always love her with his whole heart (Deadline).
Parton also played Cyrus's on-screen godmother, appearing occasionally across the four seasons of Hannah Montana — the Disney Channel series that launched Cyrus to stardom. The role blurred no lines for viewers who already understood the off-screen connection.
Their careers intertwined for nearly two decades. In 2010, Cyrus joined Parton at the 25th anniversary of Dollywood to sing "Jolene." They performed the same song together again in 2019 at the Grammy Awards. In 2017, the two co-wrote "Rainbowland" for Cyrus's album Younger Now. Parton recruited Cyrus to appear on her A Holly Dolly Christmas album in 2020. In 2022, they co-hosted NBC's Miley's New Year's Eve Party from Miami, with joint performances of "Wrecking Ball" and "I Will Always Love You" (Deadline).
The date of Parton's death, 25 August, carried a haunting resonance for Cyrus. It had historically been important to her both personally and professionally, though the specific connections were not detailed in the report (Page Six).
Parton was born on 19 January 1946, according to a memorial page on her official website titled "Remembering Dolly Parton." She was preceded in death by her husband Carl Thomas Dean, whom she married for 59 years, and by her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (dollyparton.com).
For fans, the tributes from the Cyrus family close a circle that began with a country legend volunteering to look after a baby girl — and never stepping back.
