Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus have more in common than their music careers and long-standing friendship. The country legend and pop star are actually blood relatives, according to new research from Ancestry.com.
The genealogy company revealed on September 23, 2023, that Parton and Cyrus are seventh cousins, once removed. Their common ancestor, John Brickey, was born in 1740 and died in 1806 in Tennessee. Brickey lived about 20 miles away from what is now Dollywood, Parton’s famous theme park.
When told about the connection, 78-year-old Parton reacted with surprise and delight.
“Is that true? That’s amazing! We’re so close, Miley and I. I would’ve thought we’d have been at least third cousins, 10 times removed. I’m sure she’ll get a kick out of that. It doesn’t surprise me because she does feel like family.”
The two stars have had a close relationship for years, with Parton serving as Cyrus’ godmother. They’ve collaborated on various projects, including appearances on the hit show “Hannah Montana,” where Parton played Aunt Dolly. More recently, they teamed up for a duet of “Wrecking Ball” on Parton’s 2023 “Rockstar” album and co-hosted “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party” on NBC.
Cyrus, 31, rose to fame as a Disney Channel star before transitioning to a successful pop career with hits like “Flowers” and “Wrecking Ball.”
Parton will release an album and docuseries in November 2023, both titled “Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables.” The projects will explore her family history and feature performances by multiple generations of the Parton family. The docuseries was filmed at Knoxville’s Bijou Theater.
This surprising family connection adds another layer to the already strong bond between these two music icons. It seems that in the case of Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus, blood really is thicker than water.
