Billy Ray Cyrus Shares a 1992 Letter From Dolly Parton He Had Never Revealed Before
Billy Ray Cyrus has opened the door to one of his most personal memories of Dolly Parton, sharing a handwritten letter the country legend gave him in 1992.
He chose September 25, celebrated as Dolly Parton Day, to finally make the letter public. For Cyrus, the note is far more than a piece of memorabilia. It is a reminder of the beginning of a friendship that lasted for more than three decades.
Parton’s connection to September 25 comes from the date’s reference to her signature hit “9 to 5.” In Nashville, Tennessee, celebrations for the occasion included special tributes throughout the city, including plans to illuminate buildings and bridges in pink and to stage fireworks at 9:25 p.m.
For Cyrus, though, the day was about something much more personal.
A handwritten note from 1992
Cyrus shared the letter while reflecting on his long relationship with Parton, who was also the godmother of his daughter, Miley Cyrus.
He explained that the note had remained among his most treasured possessions, alongside a handwritten letter he had previously received from Johnny Cash. To Cyrus, the two letters carry a special significance because they came from two of his musical heroes.
Parton gave him the letter only a few weeks after they first met in Chicago in the spring of 1992.
At the time, Cyrus was beginning to break through with “Achy Breaky Heart,” while his album Some Gave All had not yet been released. His career was moving quickly, and his connection with Parton was only beginning.
Not long afterward, the two would work together on “Romeo,” Parton’s collaboration with Cyrus, Tanya Tucker, Kathy Mattea and Mary Chapin Carpenter. The song was later released as part of Parton’s Slow Dancing with the Moon era. Parton’s official site confirms that “Romeo” was billed as being recorded by “Dolly Parton and Friends,” with Cyrus among the featured artists.
The song eventually became one of the memorable collaborations associated with their friendship. It also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Collaboration.
Dolly’s message to a young Billy Ray Cyrus
The letter itself is remarkably warm.
Parton told Cyrus that she was happy to be working with him and that she had been looking forward to it for weeks. She also made it clear that she was impressed by what was happening in his career and believed he was someone special.
She wished him continued success in the years ahead, but the most charming part of the note came when she addressed their first meeting.
Parton apologized for having stumbled over her words and blushed when she met Cyrus. With the humor and self-deprecating warmth that became such a familiar part of her public personality, she joked that she was still like the other girls, only a little older.
For Cyrus, that personal touch is what makes the letter so meaningful.
It was a small gesture from a major star at a pivotal moment in his career, but it stayed with him for decades.
He described the letter as one of his most prized possessions and explained that he had never previously shared it with the public.
A friendship that lasted more than 30 years
The 1992 letter turned out to be only the beginning.
Cyrus and Parton would go on to perform together on multiple occasions and share several important moments in each other’s careers. Their relationship also extended to television, where Parton appeared alongside Cyrus and his daughter Miley on Hannah Montana.
For Cyrus, that history made the letter especially fitting to share on Dolly Parton Day.
More than 30 years after they first met, the pair recorded “Christmas Where We Are,” released in 2020 on Parton’s A Holly Dolly Christmas. The track features Cyrus alongside Parton and remains part of their recorded musical history.
The memory behind the memorabilia
Cyrus has previously shared another deeply personal piece of correspondence, a handwritten letter from Johnny Cash. He sees the Cash and Parton letters as belonging together because both artists had taken the time to put their thoughts on paper for him during important periods of his life.
That helps explain why the Parton letter remained so valuable to him.
For all of Parton’s fame, the note captures something much quieter: a young artist receiving encouragement from someone he admired, at the very beginning of what would become a lasting friendship.
Cyrus has continued to look back on the many memories they made together, from television appearances and musical collaborations to their connection through Miley.
And “Romeo” remains one of the clearest reminders of how early that relationship began. The song was released as the first single from Slow Dancing with the Moon on January 25, 1993, with Cyrus, Tanya Tucker, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kathy Mattea and Pam Tillis joining Parton.
The collaboration was recorded during a particularly significant period for Cyrus, whose career was taking off after “Achy Breaky Heart.” It also gave him the opportunity to work alongside an artist he had already come to regard as a friend and mentor.
A final musical connection
“Christmas Where We Are” would eventually become another chapter in the story.
The song appeared on A Holly Dolly Christmas, Parton’s 2020 holiday album, and features Billy Ray Cyrus. The official track listing confirms Cyrus as the featured vocalist on the song.
For Cyrus, that later collaboration gives the old letter an even greater sense of history. The note came in 1992, when his career was only beginning to gather momentum. Decades later, he was still making music with the woman who had written it.
That is what makes the letter more than a collector’s item.
It captures the early days of a friendship that continued through changing careers, television appearances and new generations of the Cyrus family.
And perhaps that is why Cyrus chose this particular day to share it. After keeping the letter private for so long, September 25 gave him an opportunity to let fans see a small, personal glimpse of the Dolly Parton he knew.
The story ultimately leads back to the song that helped connect them in the first place: “Romeo.”