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Miley Cyrus Honors Late Godmother Dolly Parton in Tearful Hollywood Bowl Tribute

Miley Cyrus broke down in tears at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday as she paid tribute to her godmother Dolly Parton, who died in August, closing with a rendition of 'Jolene.'

By admin Oct. 17, 2026 · 10:46 PM ET 1 min read

An anonymous singer on stage holding a heart-shaped framed photograph, with a glowing silhouette portrait projected on the screen behind her.

Miley Cyrus broke down in tears at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday night as she paid tribute to her godmother, country music legend Dolly Parton, who died in August at age 80. “Me and Dolly, we are eternal. Nothing in this life could ever tear us apart,” the 33-year-old singer told the crowd.

A packed outdoor amphitheater at night with fans holding up glowing phone flashlights toward a distant lit stage.

Wiping her eyes with a tissue, Cyrus said she could still feel Parton’s presence. “I feel her more now than ever,” she said, according to video footage of the performance. She then sang Parton’s 1973 hit “Jolene” as an image of her “Aunt Dolly” appeared on the screen behind her.

A bond going back to birth

Parton became Cyrus’ godmother when the pop star was born in 1992. She was a longtime friend of Cyrus’ father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and appeared as Aunt Dolly on Cyrus’ Disney Channel series “Hannah Montana.” The two performed together through the years and often spoke publicly about their closeness. Parton died on Aug. 25 after a battle with cancer.

An anonymous singer seen from behind at a vintage microphone under a warm spotlight, with an acoustic guitar on a stand nearby.

Cyrus told the audience she now treasures a memory of the only time she watched Parton perform live as a fan. She had asked Parton to let her enjoy one of her Hollywood Bowl concerts without being pulled onstage. Parton agreed, then opened the show with “The Best of Both Worlds,” the “Hannah Montana” theme song, and announced to the whole audience that her goddaughter was sitting among them.

Later in Friday’s concert, Cyrus held up a heart-shaped framed photo of Parton. The show drew a celebrity crowd, including Selena Gomez and Christina Aguilera, according to video footage from the performance.

A crowd holding lit candles and glowing paper lanterns at a nighttime vigil outside a city venue.

Reporting based on coverage by Page Six.

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