Dolly Parton Shocked To Learn Superstar Goddaughter Is Blood Relative

Dolly Parton was making an appearance on Access Hollywood when she learned about this surprising connection to Miley Cyrus. With the help of the genealogy website Ancestry, Parton learned that she and Cyrus are seventh cousins, twice removed. Their connection goes back to John Brickey of Virginia, a man who is the sixth great-grandfather to Parton and the seventh great-grandfather to Cyrus.

Interestingly, Dolly Parton took the news that she is related to Miley Cyrus with all the stride of a Hobbit in Rings of Power. After asking if the news was true, she declared “that’s amazing” and speculated that Cyrus would “get a kick out of that.” But she herself didn’t really find this revelation all that shocking: “it doesn’t surprise me because she does feel like family,” she said.

Just what do we know about John Brickey, the man who biologically links Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus together? While his family originally hails from France, Brickey himself was born in Virginia back in 1740. He eventually moved his family to Blount County, Tennessee, and remained there until his death in 1806.

Both Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus have their roots in Tennessee. That alone is nothing special: after all, many country stars come from Tennessee families. Now, though, we know these women share a bond that goes even deeper than geography and even deeper than godmother/goddaughter.

Back in 2009, Dolly Parton told the world that Miley Cyrus was her goddaughter. This was by request of the future star’s dad, country legend Billy Ray Cyrus. “When she was born, [her father] said, ‘You just have to be her godmother,’ and I said, ‘I accept.’”

In a fun bit of art imitating life, Parton’s status ended up becoming a part of Hannah Montana lore. This Disney Channel show helped to make Cyrus a household name, and Parton actually played the star’s godmother in the show. While these cameos were a very public way to celebrate being Cyrus’ godmother, the original celebration was far more subdued.

According to Parton, both she and Cyrus were happy to keep their godmother celebration very lowkey. “We never did do a big ceremony, but I’m so proud of her, love her,” Parton said. “And she’s just like one of my own.”

At the end of the day, Dolly Parton is more than Miley Cyrus’ godmother and more than her cousin. The two musical legends are frequent collaborators and have often covered each other’s work (you might be surprised at how much Cyrus kills it with her “Jolene” cover). 

Even before news of them being cousins broke, Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus had a familial relationship, with the former Disney star declaring to W Magazine that Parton has “been like a mother to me.” She also noted how Parton sometimes sends the sweetest messages by the most unlikely method: fax machine. 

Cyrus described getting a fax from her godmother with this short, sentimental message. “How much do I love you? As much as my heart can hold and as far as my arms can reach.”

This emotional missive from Dolly Parton made Miley Cyrus cry with its sincerity and affection. Little stories like this paint a beautiful portrait of women who have acted like family from the moment that young Cyrus was born. Now, we know the two are connected by blood, a genealogical revelation that came into their lives like a wrecking ball.