Dolly Parton, who has been a committed godmother to world-famous pop star Miley Cyrus, recently discovered that she and the 31-year-old are related by blood. During an interview with Access Hollywood, Dolly disclosed her realization, explaining that she and Miley are 7th cousins, once removed.
Miley has always talked about Dolly’s impact on her life and entertainment career, having worked together on multiple projects, including Hannah Montana. Even when Miley brewed controversy in the early 2010s by switching up her style, Dolly remained supportive and commended her bravery.
How are Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus related?
According to genealogy results from Ancestry, Dolly and Miley’s common ancestor is Virginia-born John Brickey from the 1700s. Further details revealed that John’s lineage can be further traced to France and that he died in 1806 at Blount County, which is about 20 miles from Dollywood, Tennessee.
Dolly originally showed up for the interview to promote her latest cookbook, Good Lookin’ Cookin’, which she co-authored with her sister Rachel Dennison. Unlike her godmother and distant cousin, Miley is not much of a good cook, as Dolly outed her last year, saying the young singer’s meals have no taste.
Dolly was delighted to realize her bond with Miley ran deeper than she thought, although she was hardly surprised because they always felt like family. Dolly also thought the results would show them to be farther apart, specifically third cousins, ten times removed.
Speaking of family ties, Dolly is set to release her album, Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA—Family, Faith & Fables, in November. The album reportedly discusses her maternal and paternal lineage in the Smoky Mountain area. Dolly is also working on a docuseries to investigate her history.