UNFORGETTABLE BOND: HOW DOLLY PARTON AND MILEY CYRUS DISCOVERED THEY WERE ACTUALLY SECRETLY RELATED BY BLOOD

For more than three decades, the iconic relationship between country legend Dolly Parton and pop superstar Miley Cyrus was known to the world as one of the most heartwarming mentorships in music history. Long before Miley became a global star, her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, toured alongside Dolly in 1992 while his smash hit single was dominating the charts. The two artists formed a deep and lasting friendship, leading Billy Ray to make a meaningful request when he learned his wife was expecting a daughter. He asked Dolly to step into the role of an honorary godmother for his unborn child. Dolly warmly accepted, and when baby Miley was born, a lifelong connection officially began.

As the years passed, their relationship flourished into something remarkably special. Dolly made memorable appearances as “Aunt Dolly” on the hit television series Hannah Montana, and the duo shared countless stages, recorded music together, and frequently described their bond as far closer to a mother and daughter dynamic than a standard Hollywood friendship.

However, in September 2024, genealogists at Ancestry made a fascinating historical discovery that shocked fans around the globe. Research revealed that Dolly and Miley were not just close friends—they were actual blood relatives. Their shared heritage traces back to an ancestor named John Brickey, who was born in Virginia in 1740 before settling in Tennessee. Brickey serves as Dolly’s sixth great-grandfather and Miley’s seventh great-grandfather, officially making them seventh cousins once removed.

When Dolly received the news, she expressed absolute delight, joking that their extraordinary closeness had always felt like a natural family bond long before the documentation proved it. For decades, they had chosen each other as family, only to realize that their roots had crossed over two centuries ago.