- Miley Cyrus cried while talking about her late godmother Dolly Parton during her concert at the Hollywood Bowl on October 16.
- Cyrus performed “Jolene” in honor of the country singer who died on August 25.
- The show was Cyrus’ first concert in almost four years.
Miley Cyrus will always love Dolly Parton.
The 33-year-old paid tribute to her late godmother during her show at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, which was her first concert in nearly four years. Tearfully, Cyrus emphasized the personal significance of the venue, explaining that it was the only place she had seen Parton in concert.
“I’ve only seen Dolly Parton in concert once in my life and it was here,” she said on stage. “I spend a lot of time backstage and if she wanted to, when she was playing a show, I would stand right next to her in a matching suit. And so when I came to the show at the Bowl to see her, I said, ‘You know, I would love a night where I could just check out you.'”
The “Bass Persuades” singer insisted on watching Parton from the crowd. Although Parton acquiesced, she then turned around and opened her show with “The Best of Both Worlds” to pay tribute to Cyrus, informing the crowd that the Hannah Montana an elder sat next to them.
Cyrus joked that the move “defeated the purpose” of her decision to watch from the stands and brought “obnoxious” attention to her. Still, she appreciates the love Parton had for her.
“Like so many things that Dolly did, that I didn’t understand at the time, sitting here with you now, feeling her all around me, knowing that she’s here next to me every day, all the time, more than she could be when she was here,” Cyrus said. “I feel it, now more than ever. Knowing that I can share this story with all of you makes this evening so worth it. This memory is gold to me.”
Even though she’s still going through the heartbreak of losing the “I Will Always Love You” singer, Cyrus shared that their bond endures.
“Me and Dolly are forever. Nothing in this life could tear us apart,” she concluded. “And I’m going to see her again. I can’t wait because I miss her. Some of the greatest music we have today was written, produced and performed by my Aunt Dolly.”
Jason Kempin/Getty
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The “Party in the USA” artist then launched into a rendition of “Jolene.”
Parton died at the age of 80 on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer. In the days following his death, Cyrus paid tribute to the country legend on social media.
“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly goes beyond what feels right to share,” Cyrus wrote on Instagram on August 26. “Our most sacred moments were private and they will stay there behind the stage, under the glamor and between our hearts. What I KNOW is that Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then go on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. Always have.”
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