Model Elizabeth Hurley wished her boyfriend Billy Ray Cyrus a happy 65th birthday on Tuesday, hours before the country singer paid tribute to Dolly Parton after her death.
Hurley, 61, posted a series of romantic photos celebrating Cyrus on Instagram before news broke that Parton, Cyrus's longtime friend and collaborator, had died at age 80 in Nashville.
‘Happy Birthday to my beautiful boyfriend @billyraycyrus - May the next year be our best ever,’ Hurley wrote in her caption accompanying the affectionate images.
The Instagram post was quickly flooded with birthday messages from the couple's friends and family. The pair have been together since late 2024, after their unlikely relationship shocked the showbiz world.
Hurley is an English model and actress known for her roles in films such as Austin Powers and her long-standing work with cosmetics brand Estee Lauder. Cyrus, an American country musician, achieved global fame with his 1992 breakout hit Achy Breaky Heart.
Birthday Video Shared Before Tragic News
Shortly after Hurley posted her birthday message, news broke that Parton had died. Cyrus soon shared an emotional tribute to the country music icon, with whom he had toured, recorded, and maintained a close friendship for decades.
Just two hours before publishing his eulogy to Parton, Cyrus had posted a star-studded video celebrating his own 65th birthday.
The celebratory clip featured birthday greetings from his daughters Miley Cyrus and her sister Noah Cyrus, his girlfriend Hurley, and a number of other celebrities including Lil Nas X, Shania Twain, Diplo, and Dennis Quaid.
Lil Nas X previously collaborated with Cyrus on the global record-breaking hit Old Town Road in 2019, while Shania Twain is one of country music's best-selling female artists. Diplo is an American DJ and producer, and Dennis Quaid is a veteran actor and musician.
Fans in the comment section expressed confusion over the timing of the upbeat birthday clip, with many reasoning that Cyrus must not have received the news of Parton's passing when the video was posted.
‘I don't think he knows,’ wrote one follower, while another commented, ‘It was probably a scheduled post.’
A third user posted, ‘He knows. Trust me he knows. The guy is most likely in shock,’ while another commented, ‘What a coincidence to die on the same day as Billy's birthday.’
Decades of Friendship and Tabloid Rumors
In his emotional eulogy to Parton, Cyrus reflected on their long history together. ‘I have so many moments and memories with Dolly, it's hard to know where to start. Like every little boy, I grew up loving Dolly Parton. She was a part of our lives, on our TVs, right in our living rooms,’ he wrote.
Cyrus also reflected on old tabloid stories from the early 1990s that claimed he and Parton were having an affair while on tour together.
‘In 1992, I'll never forget walking into her dressing room to apologize for all the tabloid stories which claimed I was having an affair with her. In true Dolly fashion, she just looked at me, winked and said, 'Honey, this trash sells records!'’ Cyrus recalled.
Cyrus revealed that Parton had sent him a personal message shortly before her death. ‘Dolly recently sent me a beautiful message, telling me she loved me with her whole heart. I will always love her in the same way ….. with my whole heart … and I always will,’ he wrote.
Cyrus and Parton first became friends in the early 1990s when he opened for the Jolene singer shortly after the release of Achy Breaky Heart.
The country singer welcomed his daughter Miley Cyrus in 1992 and named Parton as her godmother. Miley would later achieve international stardom as a pop singer and actress starring in Disney's Hannah Montana alongside her father.
In 1993, Cyrus and Parton capitalized on the publicity surrounding their friendship by releasing a song together titled Romeo, which reached No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the standard music industry chart in the United States.
Dolly Parton Dies at Age 80 in Nashville
The legendary country singer's death was confirmed on Tuesday in an Instagram video posted by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also acted as her head of security.
‘This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,’ Seaver said in the announcement video.
Seaver praised his aunt for having ‘lived in the light’ and stated that she was now ‘in the arms of Jesus’ and in the company of her late husband Carl Dean, as well as her parents and ‘countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.’
Parton died Tuesday morning at age 80 after being admitted Friday to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville with autoimmune and kidney problems, according to celebrity news outlet TMZ.
Nashville, Tennessee, is widely recognized as the center of the American country music industry, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center is a major regional hospital. Parton's loved ones began racing to Nashville upon hearing news of her hospitalization, but not all were able to reach her while she was alive.
Legacy and Final Days of the Country Icon
Parton, who was often referred to as the Queen of Country, enjoyed an illustrious music career that spanned six decades. She was best known for hit tracks including Jolene, 9 to 5, and I Will Always Love You.
Her passing came after months of health woes that saw her pull out of a string of public appearances, fueling fan fears for her wellbeing.
Family insiders indicated that a private service for close friends and relations will be held in Nashville within the next few days.
In an interview published just four days before her death, via People magazine, Parton declared she still had ‘so many things I want to achieve’ and vowed to continue ‘working as long as I can to see everything come to life.’
She explained in the interview that she had been grappling with ‘some health issues that I just didn't pay attention to when I was watching over Carl.’
