Billy Ray Cyrus Reflects On Decades-Long Friendship With Dolly Parton

Billy Ray Cyrus is reflecting on Dolly Parton's death and discussing their decades-long friendship one month after her passing. The Billy Ray Cyrus Reflects On Decades-Long Friendship With Dolly Parton first appeared on The Blast

Dolly Parton passed away one month ago today, on August 25, after a private battle with cancer. Recently, her longtime friend Billy Ray Cyrus opened up about her death and shared rare stories about their friendship following his initial statement about her passing.

Billy Ray Cyrus Says The Number 25 Has Forever Changed Since Dolly Parton Died

Cyrus spoke to PEOPLE on September 25, 2026, telling the outlet that he continues to honor his longtime friend following her passing and that her death has even impacted the way he sees the number 25 given the date of her passing.

He said, “There’s a countdown for me of when it has been one month.” The singer explained, “I forever see that number 25 has changed in a different way. I call it A.D. After Dolly. We’re adjusting to a world without Dolly, and her light still shines. That’s the beauty of it.”

After that, Cyrus told the outlet that he’d been sent a clip of Parton interviewing him at Dollywood in the 90s. Now, following the death of the country music legend, Cyrus holds the clip and the experience of being interviewed by her in a different regard.

According to him, “I’d never seen it in my entire life. It’s just the funniest side of Dolly.” He continued, “She has on a beautiful yellow dress. She’s smiling and giggling. It’s so fun. And then there I sit going from obscurity and living in my car to opening for Dolly. It was right in the middle of the craziest point of my life. I do think Dolly shines so beautiful in it.”

Billy Ray Cyrus Recalls Dolly Parton’s Humor

Cyrus went on to recall a time when he was recording with his supergroup Brother Clyde and Parton showed up to the studio session with a home-cooked meal. During it, she even joined in on one of the songs the group had been recording.

He recalled, “She was so funny. I mean, not only did she feed us and put her voice on the record, she kept us laughing the whole time. That was really, really a great day.”

Cyrus referred to the experience as “probably the best day of my relationship with her,” before explaining, “because it was first, centered around music. Second, she’d made dinner for everybody, brought it in a big basket with a checkered tablecloth over top of it. I mean, the way she did that was first-class.”

Describing Parton, he said she’s “like Mother Theresa meets Elvis meets Marilyn Monroe” and called her “a star of a magnitude beyond this planet.”

After that, he called the one-month mark of Parton’s passing “a celebration,” saying, “Dolly is just such a light in the world. We all celebrate this day of all of her love and humanity. She treated every single human being that came in her path with love and grace.”

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Billy Ray Cyrus Broke His Silence On Dolly’s Passing The Day Of

Like many touched by Parton’s life, Cyrus took to social media on August 25 to pay tribute to her life and legacy. He did so by posting several photos of them from over the years to Instagram alongside an emotional caption.

The “Achy Breaky Heart” singer began, “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.”

He continued by recalling a memory with the late singer, saying, “In 1992, I’ll never forget walking into her dressing room to apologize for all the tabloid stories which claimed I was having an affair with her. In true Dolly fashion, she just looked at me, winked, and said, ‘Honey, this trash sells records!'”

Cyrus added, “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.”  

The Country Music Legend Recently Reacted To His Daughter’s Name Change

Amid promoting her most recent album, “Bass Persuades,” Miley Cyrus ceased using her last name. Because of the family’s past struggles, many assumed they had fallen out. However, following the name change, he took to Instagram to reassure fans that he and Miley were on great terms.

He said, “Family means more than ever now. I always called my little girl Miley. Just … Miley.  Just like I always called my little boy Braison.”

The 65-year-old continued, “I told @miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name. I mentioned Dolly and Cher. Thinkin about it more and more … Elvis .. Prince …and so on. It’s a natural progression for an iconic superstar legend. And the legend continues!”

Billy Recently Released New Music

Cyrus released his most recent album, “The Hill,” in June 2026, with his son, Braison, producing and aiding in the songwriting process. The new album was preceded by the song “On Our Way Along.”

Regarding his return to music, Cyrus told PEOPLE ahead of the album, “I had entered a period where I hadn’t worked for a really long time. And then I realized today, I said, ‘Cyrus, you’re working now, man. Be careful what you ask for. You said you wanted to get on the ride? Well, here you go.'”

The Billy Ray Cyrus Reflects On Decades-Long Friendship With Dolly Parton first appeared on The Blast