Billy Ray Cyrus recalls Dolly Parton’s hilarious response to affair rumours as he shares touching tribute
Billy Ray Cyrus has paid a sweet tribute to his close friend Dolly Parton as he recalls her incredible response to affair rumours about the pair.
Dolly tragically passed away on Tuesday (25 August) aged 80, her family confirmed.
Dolly’s nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, shared the sad news in a short video on Instagram, in which he said she 'changed history' and left fans with a 'lifetime of memories'.
The news has sent shockwaves through the music industry and further afield with tributes flooding in from across the globe.
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Country star Cyrus took to Instagram to share a heartbreaking statement following the death of his close friend and collaborator.
He wrote: “I have so many moments and memories with Dolly, it’s hard to know where to start.
"Like every little boy, I grew up loving Dolly Parton. She was a part of our lives, on our TV’s, right in our living rooms.”
The pair had recorded songs together and toured together, and were so close that he even asked her to be Godmother to his daughter Miley.
And it seems that their closeness had led to tabloid rumours that the pair were more than just pals.
Recalling a time he attempted to apologise to Dolly for all the speculation, he shared that she had a classic Dolly Parton response.
“In 1992, I’ll never forget walking into her dressing room to apologise for all the tabloid stories which claimed I was having an affair with her,” he said.
“In true Dolly fashion, she just looked at me, winked and said, ‘Honey, this trash sells records!’”
Cyrus also revealed that the late country singer had recently written to him with a note that he’d cherish forever.
He continued: “Dolly recently sent me a beautiful message, telling me she loved me with her whole heart. I will always love her in the same way… with my whole heart… and I always will.”
Her passing will likely be all the more tragic for Cyrus who celebrated his 65th birthday today.
The two singers became friends in the early 90s and when Cyrus and his then-wife Tish Cyrus welcomed little Miley in 1992, Dolly was asked to be Godmother.
When Miley was a little older and starring in her long-running Disney Channel show Hannah Montana, Dolly appeared in three episodes as her aunt.
Miley has previously credited Dolly with her bringing the Hannah Montana 20th-anniversary episode into fruition through manifestation.
“I learned this terrible habit — but I actually think it was good advice — from Dolly,” she told Variety earlier this year.
“She told me that if you want something to happen, promote it before it exists. Then no one can say no. So I just started promoting a ‘Hannah Montana’ 20th-anniversary special that literally did not exist.”
In 2021, when Parton was announced as Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and Miley wrote a heartfelt profile in which she called her ‘idol’.
“Have you ever met anyone who doesn’t love Dolly Parton? I never have,” Cyrus wrote.
“Dolly is not only my idol because of her incomparable career—she’s also my role model because of her steadfast morals and values. At her core, she is the definition of a humanitarian. She’s also the world’s most impeccably purposeful walking contradiction, having developed her iconic look after being inspired by the town tramp. Now she’s known as a saintly, even godlike, figure.”
Claire Reid