Miley Cyrus (Photo: Jason Merritt)She may have famously spoken out against country music way back in 2010--calling it "contrived on many levels"--but that doesn't mean Miley Cyrus can't sing the heck out of a country tune. The godchild of Dolly Parton and daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus proves this with her latest YouTube upload, a stunning cover of Parton's classic "Jolene" that's already racked up more than 80,000 views in a little more than 24 hours.
Those who only know Cyrus for her pop music, acting, wedding plans--oh, and that wild haircut!--will no doubt be surprised at the rich depth and warmth the 20-year-old brings to the 1974 hit, an enduringly haunting plea from one woman to another to stay away from her man.
Cyrus chose to cover the song as part of her "Backyard Sessions" series for her official site, a little project she started over the summer when she brought her band together to perform a few of her favorite tunes. The three-video collection also includes such unusual choices as James Shelton's 1950s tune "Lilac Wine" (which was covered by, amongst others, the late Jeff Buckley in 1994) and "Look What They've Done To My Song" by '70s folk artist Melanie Safka.
Cyrus performed "Jolene" as a sparkling live duet with Parton for the 25th anniversary of Dollywood in 2010.
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