Miley Cyrus broke down in tears at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday night before singing "Jolene" as a tribute to her late godmother, Dolly Parton, who died Aug. 25 at age 80.
As a large image of Parton appeared onstage, Cyrus, 33, told the crowd, "Me and Dolly, we are eternal." She said some of the greatest music of today was written and performed by her "Aunt Dolly," then launched into the song.
Before singing, Cyrus shared a memory that she said inspired her to play the venue. It was the only time she ever watched Parton perform as an everyday fan, from the audience at the Hollywood Bowl. Cyrus said Parton had wanted her to join her onstage, but she asked to enjoy the show from the seats. Parton opened with "The Best of Both Worlds" from "Hannah Montana," then told the crowd that Cyrus was sitting among them. Cyrus joked that Parton's "OK, Miley" reply never really means okay.
The tribute came less than two months after Parton's death. Parton had been Cyrus's godmother since 1992, through her friendship with Cyrus's father, Billy Ray Cyrus. Cyrus released her tenth studio album, "Bass Persuades," in September and has said that sharing new music with Parton first was a tradition between them.
Parton's family said after her passing that she is "in the arms of Jesus." Parton often spoke about her Pentecostal upbringing and daily Scripture reading, and she recorded gospel albums throughout her career, including collaborations with Zach Williams and For King & Country.
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