Dolly Parton spent her life making millions of people smile — but in her final days, two deeply personal goodbyes revealed just how much love she had for the people closest to her.
Billy Ray Cyrus and Dolly Parton shared a close friendship that spanned decades. Over the years, their bond grew into something even more special, with Dolly becoming the godmother of Billy Ray’s daughter, Miley Cyrus.
Now, Billy Ray has revealed the heartfelt message Dolly sent him before her death. At the same time, Miley has shared details about one of her final conversations with the woman she lovingly called “Aunt Dolly.”
Their stories offer a deeply personal glimpse into a side of the country legend that fans rarely got to see.
A friendship that survived the spotlight
Billy Ray Cyrus says Dolly had been part of his life for decades, long before their families became connected.
”Like every little boy, I grew up loving Dolly Parton,” he wrote in a tribute.
But their friendship became especially meaningful after an awkward moment in 1992.
At the time, tabloids were publishing rumors that Billy Ray and Dolly were romantically involved. Billy Ray felt uncomfortable with the speculation and decided to personally apologize to Dolly.
He walked into her dressing room expecting an uncomfortable conversation.
Instead, Dolly reportedly responded with the humor that had become so characteristic of her.
“Honey, this trash sells records!”
That moment stayed with Billy Ray for decades.
Rather than allowing gossip to damage their friendship, Dolly brushed it aside and continued to support him — eventually becoming an important part of his family’s life. And that bond would lead to one of the most special relationships in Dolly’s life.
Dolly’s final message to Billy Ray
Years after that memorable encounter, Billy Ray received a message from Dolly that now carries an entirely different weight. In his emotional tribute, he revealed that Dolly had recently told him how much she loved him.
”Dolly recently sent me a beautiful message, telling me she loved me with her whole heart,” he wrote.
Billy Ray said he plans to carry that love with him forever.
”I will always love her in the same way ….. with my whole heart … and I always will.”
For someone who shared countless memories with Dolly over the years, Billy Ray admitted that it is difficult to know where to begin when trying to put their friendship into words. He said he has “so many moments and memories” with her.
Then there was Miley
Parton once explained that she and Billy Ray connected over their shared Southern roots, with him being a “Kentucky boy” and Parton proudly calling Tennessee home.
In 1992, while Dolly Parton and Billy Ray Cyrus were touring together, Billy Ray and his then-partner, Tish Cyrus, were preparing to welcome their first child together. He later asked Dolly to become the baby’s godmother.
That baby was Miley Cyrus.
From that moment on, Dolly and Miley formed a deeply personal bond that lasted for decades. Miley grew up calling her “Aunt Dolly.”
And while the world knew Dolly as a superstar, Miley knew her as the woman who offered advice, encouragement and unconditional support.
Following Dolly’s death, Miley shared an emotional tribute of her own.
”Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts,” she wrote.
Miley revealed that one of their final conversations centered on music and transformation, a fitting subject considering how much Dolly had influenced her journey as an artist.
Miley said she knows exactly what Dolly would want her to do now: embrace the grief, channel the pain into music, and keep moving forward.
“I have an angel by my side. I always have,” Miley wrote.
Dolly never had children of her own — but she became a mother figure to many
Dolly and her husband, Carl Dean, were married for nearly six decades. They never had children together.
That wasn’t always the plan.
Dolly had once imagined becoming a mother. She and Dean had even talked about what their children might look like and had chosen the name Carla for a daughter they hoped to have.
But serious health problems eventually changed those plans.
After undergoing a partial hysterectomy in 1984, Dolly learned she would not be able to have children. She later described the experience as an incredibly painful period in her life.
Yet over time, Dolly came to believe that perhaps her life had simply taken a different path. She once explained that she believed God had a plan for her — and that perhaps she was meant to love everyone else’s children instead.
Miley became one of the most important children in that extended circle of love.
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus were actually related
During a September 2024 interview with Access Hollywood, Dolly Parton got an unexpected surprise when she learned that she and Miley Cyrus are actually related.
Ancestry had examined its records and found that the two share a distant family connection through a common ancestor, John Brickey, who was born in Virginia in 1740.
“Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus are seventh cousins, once removed! Their common ancestor is John Brickey, born in 1740 in Virginia,” Ancestry explained. “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.”
Parton was clearly surprised by the discovery.
“Is that true? That’s amazing!”
Given how close she and Miley have always been, Parton joked that she assumed their family connection would be much closer.
“Well, we’re so close, Miley and I. I would’ve thought we would’ve been at least third cousins, 10 times removed,” she said.
“I’m sure she’ll get a kick out of that, but it doesn’t surprise me because she does feel like family.”
The godmother who helped shape Miley
When Miley became a star on Hannah Montana, Dolly didn’t simply watch from the sidelines. She supported her goddaughter as Miley navigated childhood fame, enormous success and the intense scrutiny that came with growing up in Hollywood.
Dolly was even brought onto Hannah Montana, giving fans the unforgettable chance to see the pair together on screen.
“Here I am, you know, Miley’s fairy godmother, and on the show and kind of sharing all that with her,” Dolly once said.
And Dolly couldn’t have been prouder.
“For me, watching her being such a pro, she didn’t know it, but I was watching her like a proud mama, thinking you go, you little thing, I’m so proud of you,” she said.
Miley has credited Dolly with teaching her some of life’s most important lessons — including staying grounded, treating everyone with respect and never allowing fame to change who you are.
Dolly always stood by Miley
As Miley grew older and began shedding her wholesome child-star image, she faced plenty of criticism.
Dolly didn’t abandon her.
Instead, she defended Miley and encouraged her to find her own path.
“She is like me,” Dolly once said, describing Miley as a talented singer and songwriter who was learning how to find her own voice.
Dolly offered advice when Miley asked for it, but she never tried to control her goddaughter’s life.
That may have been one of the greatest gifts she could give her.
Their relationship continued through the years, including musical collaborations and unforgettable performances.
In 2023, the two performed a duet of Miley’s Wrecking Ball — another emotional reminder that their relationship had grown far beyond a famous godmother and her celebrity goddaughter.
Miley called it “an honor” to perform with Dolly and simply added:
“I love Aunt Dolly.”
Dolly responded by saying she was “honored to be able to sing” with Miley and described her as “the most gifted person” she knows.
But she made it clear that the music wasn’t what mattered most.
She was even prouder of their relationship.
Dolly acknowledged that the two were often affectionate when speaking about each other, even joking that it might “sound gushy” to some people.
But, she said, their relationship was “truly real.”
For all the fame, awards, records and decades spent in the spotlight, Dolly Parton’s greatest legacy may not be found on a stage at all.
It may be found in the people she loved — and in the lives she quietly helped shape. For Billy Ray, she was the friend who answered scandal with a joke and ended her life by reminding him she loved him.
For Miley, she was “Aunt Dolly” — a godmother, mentor, protector and the woman she could always count on.
And now, both are left carrying her words with them.
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