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It’s no wonder Miley Cyrus has always felt “like family” to Dolly Parton.
The two artists have previously shared that Parton is Cyrus’ godmother; however, new data from Ancestry reveals that the two artists are actually related. They’re seventh cousins, once removed, according to Ancestry, which stated that billions of historical records and public family trees were used to make the discovery. Parton and Cyrus share the common ancestor John Brickey, who is Parton’s 6th great-grandfather and Cyrus’ 7th great-grandfather. Brickey was born in Virginia in 1740 and died in Tennessee in 1806. He lived approximately 20 miles from what’s now Dollywood, which is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, per information from Ancestry.
Parton learned about her connection with Cyrus during an interview with Access Hollywood. Parton and her sister, Rachel Parton George, were talking about their new cook book when the legendary country singer heard about the Ancestry findings.
“Is that true? That’s amazing,” Parton beamed. “Well we’re so close, Miley and I, I would’ve thought we would’ve been at least, you know, third cousins, 10 times removed. And I’m sure she’ll get a kick out of that. But it doesn’t surprise me because she does feel like family.”
Parton and Cyrus have worked with one another over the years, including when Parton appeared as Aunt Dolly in Hannah Montana, the show that served as Cyrus’ breakout role and recently led to her status as a Disney Legend. Parton and Cyrus also teamed up to host a New Year’s Eve party in 2023, and reimagined Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” on Parton’s rock album, among other projects.
Ancestry notes that the two artists have often talked about their close bond, including when Cyrus told W Magazine that “Dolly’s been like a mother to me,” and Parton told the London Evening Standard that Cyrus “is like a daughter to me.”