Miley Cyrus Pays Tribute to Dolly Parton as Questions Grow Over Who Will Inherit Her $450 Million Fortune

Miley Cyrus mourns her godmother Dolly Parton and reveals one of their final conversations as speculation grows over her $450 million estate. For Miley Cyrus, the death of Dolly Parton at the age of 80 means far more than saying goodbye to one of her greatest musical influences. Dolly was her godmother, mentor, collaborator and effectively part of her family from the moment she was born. Now, as the world mourns the queen of country music, Miley has shared one of her most personal tributes and revealed what they discussed during one of their final conversations. [irp posts="142539"] “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly goes beyond what feels right to share,” Cyrus began. The singer explained that their most meaningful memories would remain private: “Backstage, beneath the glamour and between our hearts.” Miley Cyrus reveals one of her final conversations with Dolly Amid the grief, Miley shared one particularly meaningful detail. One of her final conversations with Parton was about “music and metamorphosis”. “I know Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, then move forward and be strong,” she explained. Cyrus also described her godmother as “an angel by my side” and ended her tribute with a promise: she will continue trying to make her proud. That music remained part of their relationship almost until the very end seems particularly fitting for a bond that developed both privately and on stage. A relationship that began before Miley could remember it Their story began through Billy Ray Cyrus, who became friends with Dolly in the early 1990s. When Miley was born in 1992, he asked Parton to become her godmother. But it was never simply a symbolic title. Dolly knew Miley from infancy and eventually became someone the singer herself described as an almost maternal figure. Decades later, it was even discovered that the two were distant relatives. Their relationship also reached ‘Hannah Montana’, where Dolly appropriately played ‘Aunt Dolly’, Miley Stewart’s godmother. She appeared in three episodes of the series, introducing herself to an entirely new generation who might not yet have understood the scale of her career. From ‘Jolene’ to ‘Wrecking Ball’: godmother and goddaughter became collaborators As the years passed, Miley stopped being simply the young girl receiving Dolly’s advice and the pair began meeting as fellow artists. They performed ‘Jolene’ together, collaborated on ‘Rainbowland’ for Cyrus’s album Younger Now and recorded ‘Christmas Is’ for A Holly Dolly Christmas. In 2023, Dolly also included ‘Wrecking Ball’ on her album Rockstar, this time alongside Miley herself. They also co-hosted ‘Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party’, an appearance that perfectly captured a relationship somewhere between family, friendship and professional admiration. Will Miley Cyrus inherit Dolly Parton’s fortune? Parton’s death has now raised another question. Forbes valued her fortune at around $450 million, approximately €385 million, before her death. A significant proportion came from her stake in Dollywood, while her catalogue of more than 3,000 songs was valued by the publication at approximately $120 million. Parton had no children, and her husband of almost six decades, Carl Dean, died in March 2025. Those circumstances, combined with her extraordinary relationship with Miley, have fuelled reports suggesting that Cyrus could potentially be among her beneficiaries. However, there is currently no confirmation that Miley will inherit Dolly Parton’s fortune. As of 27 August, no verified will or estate document identifying Miley as an heir has been made public. Reports examining viral claims have also found no evidence that Dolly left her music catalogue, the rights to ‘Jolene’ or her entire estate to Cyrus. Dolly also had a large extended family and spent decades building an extensive philanthropic network, meaning her estate could ultimately be divided among relatives, foundations, charities, trusts and other beneficiaries. A $450 million legacy that goes far beyond money What is certain is that Miley inherited an important part of Dolly’s legacy long before her death, even if it never appears in a will. Parton supported her career from Hannah Montana, advised her as she developed an adult identity and eventually shared stages and recording studios with her. Even during one of their final conversations, they returned to the place where they had always seemed to connect most naturally: music. For now, the world will have to wait to discover what Dolly decided regarding her enormous estate and, particularly, her valuable music catalogue. Miley Cyrus may well be among the beneficiaries, but claims that she will inherit the entire $450 million remain speculation rather than confirmed fact. Meanwhile, Miley appears certain about the part of Dolly she intends to carry with her. “I will always love her and want to make her proud,” she wrote in her farewell. Whatever the eventual contents of the will, that may prove to be the most personal inheritance Dolly Parton left Miley Cyrus.