Dolly Parton discovered that the special connection she has with her goddaughter Miley Cyrus is even deeper than she originally thought.
Genealogy and family tree tracking website Ancestry announced on Monday (23) that by using “billions of historical records and public family trees,” they discovered that the two singers are, in fact, seventh cousins.
Their common ancestor is a man named John Brickey, who was born in Virginia in 1740, according to Ancestry. Brickey is Parton’s sixth great-grandfather and Cyrus’ seventh great-grandfather.
“We’re so close, Miley and I. I thought we were at least third cousins,” Parton said on Monday’s episode of Access Hollywood, reacting to the revelation. “It doesn’t surprise me because she does seem like family.”
Parton is Cyrus’ godmother and has appeared in several episodes of the Disney Channel show “Hannah Montana” playing her aunt.
The two have been open about their closeness, something Cyrus addressed in a tribute to Parton she wrote for Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2021 list.
“Dolly is not only my idol because of her unparalleled career — she is also my role model because of her steadfast morals and values,” Cyrus wrote. “She recognizes how impactful her choices will be as one of the most iconic and powerful voices in country music, and she leaves no one behind.”
The timing of this news is poignant, considering Parton is gearing up to release her new family-centric album, “Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables,” in November.
The album will feature a four-part documentary series that delves deeper into Parton’s ancestry, offering “an intimate look at the family’s historic journey from the United Kingdom to present-day East Tennessee, enriched by interviews with multiple family members,” according to your website.
This content was originally published in Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton discover they are distant relatives on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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