Miley Cyrus pays tribute to godmother Dolly Parton after her death

Dolly Parton, the legendary country singer, died on August 25, 2026, at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, prompting an outpouring of tributes from across the entertainment world Source: La Voz. Among the most personal was from Miley Cyrus, whose godmother Parton was, and who shared an emotional message on Instagram Source: El Mundo.

The tribute

Cyrus wrote: "The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly goes beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and will remain there, behind the stage, under the glamour and between our hearts" Source: Infobae. She added, "I have an angel by my side. I always have," and revealed that one of their last conversations was "about music and metamorphosis" Source: La Vanguardia. Cyrus said Parton would want her to "feel this pain, write a song about it and then move on and be strong" Source: El Mundo.

The bond

Parton became Cyrus's godmother through her friendship with Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley's father, whom she met on tour in the early 1990s Source: El Día. Parton appeared as "Aunt Dolly" in three episodes of Hannah Montana, bringing their real-life relationship to the screen Source: El Confidencial. They also collaborated musically, including on "Rainbowland" (2017) and a rock version of "Wrecking Ball" for Parton's Rockstar album Source: ABC.

Wider reaction

Tributes also came from Barack Obama, who praised Parton's impact, and Elton John, who said he was "shocked and devastated" Source: EFE via El Día. Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Sabrina Carpenter were among others who honored her legacy Source: El Español. Parton's nephew Bryan Seaver announced her death in a video, fulfilling her request Source: Infobae.