Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media, Inc.
Billy Ray Cyrus and Dolly Parton forged a deep friendship during their joint tours in the 1990s, with Parton assuming the role of godmother to Cyrus’s daughter, Miley Cyrus.
On Tuesday, Billy Ray Cyrus took to Instagram to share a heartfelt moment captured in a photo featuring himself, his wife Firerose, and longtime family friend Dolly Parton. In the caption, he simply wrote, “1000 words. 🩷”
In the snapshot, Cyrus, 62, donned a cowboy hat as he stood between Firerose and the 78-year-old Parton, who looked radiant in an all-pink ensemble and shared a warm embrace with Cyrus.
Firerose, who tied the knot with the musician in October, also posted the photo on her Instagram Story, expressing her gratitude for Parton with the message, “Beyond grateful for @dollyparton. I will always love you,” a heartfelt reference to the iconic star’s 1974 classic.
Cyrus also shared the photo to his Story, accompanied by the words, “Between two angels.”
Parton and Cyrus developed a strong bond during the early ’90s when he toured with her to promote his hit single “Achy Breaky Heart.”
Reflecting on their friendship, Parton recounted their shared tour experiences on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show last year, saying, “When Billy had the big song, ‘Achy Breaky Heart,’ well, we toured together. I was on tour and then Billy toured with me and so that’s how we just got to be good friends, because he’s a Kentucky boy, I’m from Tennessee.”
Their friendship deepened over time, leading Cyrus to ask Parton to be the godmother of his daughter Miley, born in 1992.
She recounted to Stern, “He informed me… ‘We’re expecting a daughter, and we want you to be her godmother!’ And I responded, ‘I’d be deeply honored.'” She further mentioned, “So, Miley and I took it from there. Our bond has only strengthened over the years… Miley holds a special place in my heart. I’ve known her practically since before she was born.”
Parton and Miley Cyrus have collaborated multiple times in the past, including a revamped rendition of Cyrus’s 2013 hit “Wrecking Ball,” featured on Parton’s recent album, Rockstar.
Miley, now 31, has frequently expressed admiration for Parton in public, often referring to her affectionately as “Aunt Dolly.”
This meeting between Cyrus and Parton follows closely on the heels of Miley’s recent success at the Grammy Awards, where she notably omitted her father from her acceptance speech for Record of the Year.
She expressed gratitude towards those on stage, stating, “[Thanks to] everyone here… My mom, my sister, my partner, my dear friends because just look at how amazing I feel.” She quipped, “Anyone else?… I think I covered everyone. Though, I might have overlooked my underwear. Farewell!”