During her first full-length concert in nearly four years, Miley Cyrus took the stage at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday and teared up as she paid tribute to her late godmother, Dolly Parton.
Cyrus, who is playing two sold-out shows at the iconic Los Angeles venue following the release of her September album “Bass Persuades,” shared memories of Parton. She told the audience that she was partly inspired to choose the Hollywood Bowl because it was the only place she had seen Parton in concert.
“I only got to see Dolly Parton live in concert one time in my entire life and it was here,” she said. “I spend a lot of time backstage and if she had it her way, when she was playing a show, I’d be standing right beside her in a matching costume. And so, when I was coming to the show at the Bowl to see her, I said, ‘You know, I would love a night where I could just experience you.’”
Apparently, Parton couldn’t help herself. During her set, she told the crowd that Cyrus was in the audience and proceeded to sing “Best of Both Worlds,” the title track from Cyrus’ show “Hannah Montana.”
As Cyrus explained, the move “defeated the entire purpose” of her trying to be low-key and watch the show, but she still loved Parton for it.
“Like so many things Dolly did that I didn’t understand at the time, sitting here with you all right now, feeling her all around me, knowing that she’s right here beside me every day, all the time, more than she could be when she was here, I feel her more than ever,” she said. “And knowing that I get to share this story with you all, it makes that night very worth it. This memory is gold to me. Me and Dolly, we are eternal. Nothing in this life could ever tear us apart. And I’m going to see her again, and I can’t f–king wait because I miss her.”
She concluded, “Some of the greatest music that we have today was written, produced, and performed by my Aunt Dolly.”
Cyrus then did a rendition of Parton’s “Jolene.”
Parton died Aug. 25 following a brief battle with cancer. The day after her death, Cyrus took to social media to pay tribute to her godmother.
“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. I will always love her and want to make her proud.”
The country music legend became close to Billy Ray Cyrus when she toured with him as he promoted his 1992 single “Achy Breaky Heart” and had been close to Miley since her birth. The “Jolene” singer even guest-starred on “Hannah Montana” as Miley Stewart’s Aunt Dolly on the Disney Channel series.
