Dolly Parton discovered she and goddaughter Miley Cyrus are seventh cousins once removed, and the country legend said the news only confirmed what she already felt.
Parton, 78, learned of the blood tie through Ancestry, which traced their shared lineage to John Brickey, a Tennessee ancestor who is Parton’s sixth-great-grandfather and Cyrus’ seventh-great-grandfather. The “Jolene” singer shared the revelation during an Access Hollywood interview, where she admitted the genetic connection hardly shocked her given their deep bond.
“It doesn’t surprise me because she does feel like family,” Parton said. “I’ve always said she feels like a niece or a child.”
Parton continued, emphasizing just how intertwined their lives had become over the years. “We’re so close, Miley and I: I would’ve thought we’d have been at least third cousins, 10 times removed,” she added. “I’m sure she’ll get a kick out of that.”
Cyrus, 31, had long reciprocated that familial sentiment. In a previous interview with W magazine, the “Flowers” singer became emotional discussing Parton’s influence. “It gets me choked up. I just love her so much,” Cyrus said. “Last Christmas, she gave me a whole mannequin, done in her proportions and wearing her outfit. It’s so major.”
The “Wrecking Ball” singer also told the publication that Parton “been like a mother to me,” underscoring a relationship that transcended the traditional godmother role.
Their closeness made the Ancestry findings feel almost inevitable to Parton, who had spent decades treating Cyrus as her own. The discovery came years before Parton’s death earlier this week at age 80 following what her representatives described as a “brief battle with cancer.”
In a statement, her team announced: “Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched.” The message highlighted her global impact through initiatives like the Imagination Library book donation program and her funding of vaccine research.
The statement concluded with details of her final moments: “After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”
Following the announcement, Cyrus addressed her grief directly to fans through an Instagram post. “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share,” she wrote. “Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts.”
Cyrus added that she believed Parton would want her to channel the pain into creativity. “What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong,” she shared. “I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.”
She finished with a promise to honor her godmother’s legacy. “I will always love her and want to make her proud,” Cyrus wrote. “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 first connected during the younger singer’s “Hannah Montana” era, when the country icon’s involvement in the Disney series established a bond that would span Cyrus’ transition from teen star to Grammy-winning artist.