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These appearances showed that their relationship did not exist only behind the scenes, but had also become a memorable part of both women’s musical journeys.
Dolly also influenced Miley in a very different way through advice about her career, And Miley has shared that Dolly always encouraged her to change, grow and avoid becoming trapped in an image of herself from the past.
So for Miley, Dolly was not only family, but also a mentor she could turn to whenever she faced important turning points, Because Dolly was not simply Miley’s godmother, but almost a second mother throughout her life.
When that woman passed away, Miley’s grief was no longer simply a farewell to a legend.
It was the pain of losing a loved one who had been there for her even before she was born.
After Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80 on August 25th 2026, Miley Cyrus responded with deeply emotional and heartfelt tributes expressing the profound love she had for her godmother.
The very next day, Miley shared an emotional tribute on Instagram alongside a black and white photograph of Dolly Parton, writing: “Through indescribable grief, she said: “The feeling of losing my aunt Dolly is beyond anything I could possibly share, emphasizing that their most sacred moments would remain private behind the scenes, beneath the glitter and between our hearts”.
In that tearful tribute, Miley revealed an especially meaningful detail.
One of her final conversations with Dolly Parton had been about music and transformation.
She shared that, although she was hurting, Dolly would not want her to fall apart.
Aunt Dolly would want me to live in my feelings, write a song about it and keep going strong.
Her deeply hopeful words “I have an angel beside me, I always have” showed that Miley believed her godmother would still be present, watching over her from somewhere better.
Miley Cyrus also expressed her heartbreak for the entire world, Dolly’s family and her friends, all of whom would miss her deeply.
She promised that she would always love Dolly and would always want to make her proud.
I love you and I will always want to make you proud- A promise from the heart of a goddaughter who deeply respected the woman who had been like a second mother to her.
She ended her message with a hopeful thought: We will get through this loss together and we will see her in all the most beautiful things, Offering comfort both to herself and to the millions of Dolly Parton fans around the world.
Alongside the lengthy Instagram tribute, Miley Cyrus also shared her grief on X. in short but deeply moving messages, She wrote: “I can’t believe we just lost one of the purest souls.
Rest in glory, Dolly.
My heart is broken.
She also emphasized Dolly transcended time and lives forever in the hearts of an entire generation, reaffirming the extraordinary legacy her godmother left behind in music and in the hearts of millions who loved her.
And perhaps Miley is doing exactly what Dolly once taught her: continuing to live, continuing to create and continuing to turn what she experiences into art.
The two shared countless musical memories, from Jolene and Rainbow Land to their many appearances together on stage, Notably even in 2026.
Before her death, Dolly joined Miley and several other artists to record a new version of Light Of A Clear Blue Morning in celebration of Dolly’s 80th birthday.
Miley Cyrus’s actions also revealed the depth of her grief and respect for her godmother.
One day after Dolly Parton’s death, she made her first public appearance in Los Angeles, looking deeply sorrowful and emotional.
In the images captured at the time, Miley wore black clothing as a quiet expression of mourning, with red eyes and a tired face that could not conceal the immense pain of confronting the reality that the woman who had guided her throughout her life was no longer there.
Miley was seen arriving at a recording studio in Los Angeles during the first days following that devastating loss.
Her immediate return to the studio echoed the promise she had made in her tribute that Dolly would want her to write a song about it.