Miley Cyrus has played a heartfelt tribute to Dolly Parton, her godmother, after the country music superstar’s death at the age of 80, following a ‘brief battle with cancer’
Miley Cyrus has led tributes to her “angel” godmother Dolly Parton after the death of the country music superstar at the age of 80, following a “brief battle with cancer”.
Miley, 33, frequently cited the queen of country as a deeply meaningful figure in her life and wrote on Instagram: “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts.
“What I know is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.
“I will always love her and want to make her proud. 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.”
The iconic singer played Aunt Dolly on Miley’s breakout TV show, Hannah Montana. They also performed a number of duets together including a cover of Wrecking Ball for Dolly’s 2023 rock album Rockstar.
Miley joined the biggest names in music, including Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, Taylor Swift and Beyonce in detailing Dolly’s impact and her legacy, as both a musician and a humanitarian.
In tribute to Dolly, the Band of the Coldstream Guards played 9 To 5, one of her biggest hits, on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace during Changing the Guard, while landmarks around the US were lit up pink in her honour, including the Empire State Building in New York, the Willis Tower in Chicago and the Pacific Park Ferris Wheel in Los Angeles.
News of Dolly’s death was announced by her family on Tuesday night, and her publicist, Marcel Pariseau, said: “After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Centre surrounded by loved ones.”
The statement continued: “Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact.”
The type of cancer was not disclosed. Dolly’s death was first announced late on Tuesday via an Instagram video by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who also served as the singer’s head of security.
He said it was “an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness” to share the news of her death, adding: “But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly.
“Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.” Dolly’s beloved husband Carl Dean died last year aged 82.
At Dolly’s request, a small, private funeral service will be held for immediate family, a statement from her family on social media said. In lieu of flowers, her family asked for donations to be made to her Imagination Library.
She was a savvy businesswoman with an empire that included a theme park, aptly named Dollywood, and a pioneering philanthropist. Imagination Library, a programme devoted to inspiring a love of reading in children, has given more than 300 million books to youngsters.
She was also a supporter of several charities for black and LGBT+ communities, as well as the Barbara Davis Centre for Childhood Diabetes, Save the Music Foundation and the Boot Campaign. In 2020, she donated one million dollars (£733,000) to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University, which helped fund Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine.
Over the course of her career, which spanned more than 60 years, Dolly sold more than 100 million records worldwide and wrote more than 3,000 songs, including hits Coat Of Many Colours and Joshua.
