Tennessee Gives Dolly Parton Her Own Day — & Miley Cyrus Shows Up as the Ultimate Goddaughter

If Tennessee was ever going to give someone her own day, it was always going to be Dolly Parton. The state is officially designating Jan. 19, 2026 — Parton’s 80th birthday — as “Dolly Parton Day,” with Gov. Bill Lee signing a proclamation honoring the country star known for her big blonde hair and even bigger heart — and her life, legacy, and impact on the Volunteer State, per The Tennessean.

But the sweetest part of the timing is who shows up right before the birthday candles: Miley Cyrus. On Jan. 16, Parton released a new version of her 1977 song “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” and she didn’t treat do it alone. She turned it into a group project — bringing in Cyrus (her celebrity goddaughter) alongside Lainey Wilson, Reba McEntire, and Queen Latifah — and aimed it straight at something Dolly’s always cared about more than attention: helping people.

Proceeds from the recording and music video will benefit pediatric cancer research at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, per Parton’s announcement. In a statement shared with People, Parton said she wrote “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” during a period when she was “searching for hope,” and that “50 years later that message still feels just as true.” She added that the new version, released as she approaches 80, is a way to “shine a little light forward,” especially by sharing it “with some truly incredible women.”

Cyrus’ role is also personal. Parton explained on The Howard Stern Show in November 2023 how she became Miley’s godmother after Billy Ray Cyrus toured with her following the release of his hit, “Achy Breaky Heart.”

“We’re having a girl, and you’ve got to be her godmother!” Parton recalled him saying. The relationship has shown up in their music over the years, too: Cyrus covered “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” on the Mother’s Day episode of Saturday Night Live in 2021, and the pair have also collaborated on “Rainbowland,” “Christmas Is,” and a re-recording of “Wrecking Ball” for Parton’s Rockstar album.

It also lands after a tough year for Parton — her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died in March 2025 — which makes the choice to mark her 80th by putting the spotlight on a cause (and a chorus of women) feel especially Dolly.

So yes, Tennessee giving Dolly her own day makes perfect sense. Between the music, the meaning, and the constant philanthropy — from the Imagination Library to this new benefit release — she’s still doing what she’s always done: turning a personal milestone into something other people can hold onto, too.

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Before you go, click here to see Dolly Partos’s boldest red carpet fashion moments over the years below: