Miley Cyrus, who also happens to be Dolly Parton's goddaughter, is one of a star-studded cast of guest artists to appear on the country icon's new holiday album, A Holly Dolly Christmas. As a featured performer on the project, Cyrus joins the ranks of Michael Bublé, Willie Nelson, and even her own dad, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.
In a new interview on BBC America's Graham Norton Show, Cyrus remembers the surprising — and pretty old-fashioned! — way that Parton invited her to be a part of A Holly Dolly Christmas.
"She faxed me," Cyrus drily corrects the show's host, after he made a reference to Parton "calling" Cyrus to broach the idea of a duet. The singer went on to clarify that she does not even own a fax machine.
"So, she gets upset when you don't respond. And it's like, 'I'm sorry, I don't … I don't even know,'" Cyrus continues. "Half the people watching your show might not even know what a fax machine is."
Fortunately, Cyrus' famous dad happens to share Parton's quirky, outdated sensibilities when it comes to technology. The younger singer explains that Billy Ray owns a fax machine that he keeps in his gym.
"Because my dad also — my dad has two Blackberries, from like, 2005, and he says two Blackberries equal an iPhone. Which is not true," Cyrus says, "But he's also one of those."
The country legend's old-school tendencies also meant that the pair had to record their holiday duet during a decidedly un-festive time of year, Cyrus shares.
"Only for Dolly Parton do you sing a Christmas carol in July. But she makes physical records, and so she had to get it turned in, and so I was singing about Christmas in the middle of L.A. summer," the singer says. "And only for Dolly."
A Holly Dolly Christmas arrived on October 2. The project's first single is Parton's duet with Bublé, "Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas."