Dolly Parton’s death was announced on Tuesday, August 25, by her nephew, Brian Seaver. He released a video statement on Parton’s official Instagram, informing fans of the heartbreaking news and remembering the country music icon’s passing and legacy. She was 80. The announcement comes on the same day as Billy Ray Cyrus’ birthday, who turns 65.
Dolly Parton & Billy Ray Cyrus’ Friendship
In a heartbreaking twist, while many have been sending Cyrus their well-wishes and celebrating his birthday, the world learned that his dear friend, Parton, had died.
Cyrus and Parton had been friends for decades, and she was even the honorary godmother to his daughter, Miley Cyrus. “I’m her honorary godmother,” Parton said in 2009, Woman’s World reports. “I’ve known her since she was a baby. Her father’s a friend of mine, and when she was born, he said, ‘You just have to be her godmother,’ and I said, ‘I accept.’ We never did a big ceremony, but I’m so proud of her, love her. And she’s just like one of my own.”
Billy Ray also shared his thoughts, saying, “Her and Miley, actually just fell in love, like it was kindred spirits. You could just feel it from the second they met. It was two peas in a pod.”
Dolly Parton & Billy Ray Cyrus Shared a Close Bond
In the ‘90s, Cyrus opened for Parton on tour. Parton had always been one of Billy Ray’s biggest supporters. She reflected on how their friendship began in an interview on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show. “When Billy had the big song, ‘Achy Breaky Heart,’ well, we toured together. I was on tour and then Billy toured with me and so that’s how we just got to be good friends, because he’s a Kentucky boy, I’m from Tennessee,” she reflected.
When Parton turned 80 on January 19, Billy Ray celebrated her milestone birthday with the sweetest post on X. “Dolly Parton at 80 is a reminder of what music is supposed to do… bring people together, lift spirits, and tell the truth with heart,” he wrote alongside a photo of himself, Parton, and his daughter Miley.
He continued, “I’ve been honored to share songs with her and blessed to call her family. As @MileyCyrus’s godmother and a guiding light in our lives, Dolly’s influence goes far beyond the charts… it lives in the lives she’s touched and the generations of fans she’s inspired. Happy birthday, @DollyParton.”
Remembering Dolly Parton’s Beautiful Life
The statement about Parton’s death has left fans, family, and friends heartbroken. She was a country music legend and an incredible person. “My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you,” Seaver said in his statement. “She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not. Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever.”
He continued, “Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy. He farmed the soil; she farmed songs and happiness. Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest.”
Dolly Parton will be dearly missed by so many.
