Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus shared a very special bond long before they found out they were actually related.
The two singers were already close when Dolly made a surprising discovery in 2024.
Miley was not just her goddaughter as they were also family.
According to Ancestry, Dolly and Miley are seventh cousins once removed.
They share a family member named John Brickey, who was born in Virginia in 1740 and later moved to Tennessee.
Dolly said the news did not really surprise her because she had always felt that Miley was part of her family.
“It doesn’t surprise me because she does feel like family. I’ve always said she feels like a niece or a child,” she said.
The Wrecking Ball hitmaker felt the same way about Dolly as she once said her godmother had “been like a mother to me.”
Their close relationship was clear over the years. Dolly appeared on Hannah Montana as Aunt Dolly and worked with Miley on songs including “Jolene” and “Wrecking Ball.”
After Dolly died at 80 on August 25, Miley shared a heartbreaking message for her beloved godmother.
“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share,” she wrote.
Miley also said, “I have an angel by my side. I always have.”
Their family connection may have been surprising, but their love for each other was never a secret.
