The world lost a legend this week, and Miley Cyrus lost family. Country music icon Dolly Parton passed away Tuesday in Nashville at 80 years old, following a brief battle with cancer, and the sadness has been felt across every corner of the entertainment industry. But nobody’s tribute hit quite like the one from Miley, the goddaughter.
Miley Cyrus has publicly addressed the death of her godmother, country music icon Dolly Parton, in a statement posted to Instagram, calling the loss too personal to fully put into words.
Parton died Tuesday in Nashville at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer.
Parton became Cyrus’ godmother in 1992 through her friendship with Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, whom she toured with following the success of his single “Achy Breaky Heart.” Billy Ray has said that when he asked Parton to take on the role, she accepted without hesitation. Parton went on to appear as “Aunt Dolly” on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana and later shared the stage with Cyrus on multiple occasions, including a recent reworking of Parton’s 1977 song “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” alongside McEntire, Lainey Wilson and Queen Latifah. In her Instagram statement, Cyrus wrote that the depth of the loss was difficult to articulate publicly.
“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share,” Cyrus wrote. “Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts.”
Cyrus said she intended to process the loss the way she believed Parton would have wanted.
“What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong,” she wrote. “I have an angel by my side. I always have.”
She also referenced one of her final conversations with Parton, saying it centered on music and personal transformation , recurring themes throughout both artists’ careers.
Cyrus closed her statement by extending condolences to Parton’s family and the broader public mourning her death.
“I will always love her and want to make her proud,” she 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.”
Other tributes followed throughout the day. McEntire, describing Parton as her “buddy,” thanked her for the impact she had had on those around her. Google also marked the moment, with searches for Parton’s name triggering an animated tribute featuring monarch butterflies and the message, “We’ll always love you.”
According to multiple reports, Parton is expected to be buried beside her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville. Dean, to whom Parton was married for nearly six decades, died in March 2025. Family members are said to be planning a small, private funeral service, with details on a possible public memorial not yet announced.