Dolly Parton discovered she and her goddaughter Miley Cyrus are related by blood.
The Jolene hitmaker, 78 — who recently admitted whether or not she thinks Beyoncé is a country star — learned on Tuesday during an interview with Access Hollywood that she and the Wrecking Ball singer are distant cousins after Ancestry traced their lineage.
‘Is that true? That’s amazing!’ she said, reacting to the news. ‘Well, we’re so close, Miley and I. I would’ve thought we would’ve been at least third cousins, 10 times removed.
‘I’m sure she’ll get a kick out of that, but it doesn’t surprise me because she does feel like family,’ she said of the 31-year-old Disney Channel alum.
Ancestry, a genealogical company, confirmed that the two country legends are seventh cousins once removed in a press release on Monday.
Dolly Parton discovered she and her goddaughter Miley Cyrus are related by blood, on Tuesday; seen in June 2024
‘Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus are seventh cousins, once removed! Their common ancestor is John Brickey, born in 1740 in Virginia,’ the Utah based company shared.
The phrase ‘once removed’ is used to refer to a family relationship where there is a one generation difference between two people.
‘He later moved to Blount County, Tennessee with his wife and children and remained there until his death in 1806. The Brickey family originated from France and the family came to the United States in the late 1600s, ‘Ancestry noted of their shared relative.
Genetically, Brickey is Dolly’s 6th great-grandfather and Miley’s 7th great-grandfather.
Both Dolly and Miley have strong ties to Tennessee and have collaborated multiple times over the years.
The 9 to 5 singer first appeared on Miley’s hit show Hannah Montana during its first season in an episode that aired on September 29, 2006. She played Hannah’s (Miley) godmother on the show and wet by Aunt Dolly.
She reprised her role in a season two episode that aired on December 7, 2007.
Dolly made her third and final appearance on the show in a season four episode that aired on December 19, 2010.
The duo have also rung in the new year together as they co-hosted Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party 2023 and preformed together back in December 2022.
And Miley’s famous cover of Jolene is not the only time she has swapped songs with her godmother.
Ancestry, a genealogical company, confirmed that the two country legends are seventh cousins once removed in a press release on Monday; Miley and Dolly seen in February 2019
Both Dolly and Miley have strong ties to Tennessee and have collaborated multiple times over the years; Miley’s father Billy Ray, Dolly and Miley seen in February 2019
Dolly covered Miley’s 2013 mega hit Wrecking Ball for her forty-ninth solo studio album, which was released in November of last year
Dolly covered Miley’s 2013 mega hit Wrecking Ball for her forty-ninth solo studio album, which was released in November of last year.
In June, it was revealed that a musical inspired by the I Will Always Love You singer’s life and career, Hello, I’m Dolly, was in the works.
The musical will be coming to Broadway in 2026. Show dates have yet to be announced.
