Dolly Parton is known for her collaborations with some incredible stars, like Kenny Rogers and Emmylou Harris. She has also got a well-known association with Billy Ray Cyrus, and subsequently his daughter Miley. But many have wondered whether her link to him is far more personal than professional.
Is Dolly Parton related to Billy Ray Cyrus?
Dolly Parton is not related to Billy Ray Cyrus, however there is a very close familial bond between them.
The pair originally met when Billy Ray toured with Dolly, soon after the release of his most famous single, Achey Breaky Heart.
Rather than sparking rumours of them being related, it instead sparked romance rumours, as Billy Ray revealed in an interview with Closer.
He said: “When I was on her tour, there was a headline that she and I were romantically involved.
“Dolly looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘Honey, that s*** sells records!’”
He added: “I love Dolly. I probably wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing without her.”
The pair even went on to release a single together, Romeo, which became a chart hit in the USA.
READ MORE
-
Dolly Parton children: Does Dolly Parton have any children?
Billy Ray’s feelings for Dolly were not one-sided either, as Dolly once interviewed her protégé for NBC in the 1990s, where she named him “one of the nicest, sweetest people you would ever want to meet.”
Their friendship was clearly very deep, so much so that it has trickled down to Billy Ray’s daughter, Miley.
Miley was born the year Achey Breaky Heart came out, and Billy Ray asked Dolly to be Miley’s godmother, which she accepted.
Since then, Dolly has shared her wisdom and even the stage with other members of the Cyrus family, mainly Miley.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight about Dolly, Miley said: “She teaches people not to judge a book by its cover, or its huge boobs or its big hair.”
Miley even gave a speech about her “fairy godmother” at the MusiCares Person of the Year Award, which honoured Dolly in 2019.
The pair have shared the stage as well, with Dolly joining Miley to sing during the time in which Miley was a judge on The Voice.
In 2016 the country singer joined her goddaughter on the stage of The Voice alongside a capella singers Pentatonix, where they performed a new rendition of Jolene.
And, once again, those feelings are mutual as Dolly revealed in an interview with Anderson Cooper in 2012.
Speaking about Miley, she said: “I don’t get to see her as often as I’d like but she’s a special gal and I hope she does great in this world.”
Source: Read Full Article