Dolly Parton Reveals Why She Won't Give Advice to Young Stars — Including Goddaughter Miley Cyrus

After more than five decades of stardom, it’s fair to sayDolly Partonknows a thing or two about the industry — but don’t call her “Dollyisms” advice.

“You can’t really give advice,” the country legend, 73, says in this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. “Like I say, I have information, but it’s really not right to try to tell somebody else how to live their life.”

In the “Jolene” episode of her upcoming Netflix series,Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings, Parton plays the mentor toJulianne Hough’s character, who’s in the music business. In real life, Parton likes to give young stars information rather than advice because of her own experience starting out in the music industry.

“When I first came to Nashville wearing all my makeup and big hair and showing my big t—ts, my dear friend Chet Atkins said, ‘Now Dolly, you’re never going to be taken serious if you don’t dress down,'” she recalls. “I said, ‘It’s me. I have to be this way.’ Years later, I became a big star.”

Frazer Harrison/Getty

And when it comes to her goddaughter,Miley Cyrus, Parton says, “Who am I to tell Miley what to do?”

“Lord, I’ve done everything, and what I ain’t done, I intend to,” Parton says. “She’s going to do that, too. But Miley’s smart; Miley knows what she’s doing. I know we think she doesn’t, and she might not every minute, but I still know that she’s got good stuff in her.”

Instead, Parton says she likes to “live an example.”

“I’ve told [Miley] some things that I think are valuable and that she uses, but I’d rather live an example,” she says. “[I’d rather] be an example rather than just try to tell somebody to do this, do that because I don’t think that’s right. Everybody’s different. You’ve got your own journey. And some people are going to help you along the way and they can kick a few rocks out of the road for you, but you got to walk it.”

During a press conference held at her Dollywood DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to promoteDolly Parton’s Heartstringsin October, Parton told reporters that she’s proud of Cyrus, 26, for “doing her thing.”

“Miley is so talented,” Parton said. “Miley has such gifts, and I think she’s gonna’ be great. Now other people say, ‘You need to talk to Miley.’ I say, ‘No, I don’t. Miley will be Miley, I’ll be me and everybody needs to do their own thing.’”

Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus.Kevin Winter/Getty

Dolly Parton’s Heartstringsis an anthology series that showcases the stories, memories and inspiration behind some of Parton’s most beloved songs, including “Jolene,” “Two Doors Down,” “These Old Bones” and “J.J. Sneed.”

Parton says that celebrating the premiere ofDolly Parton’s Heartstringsat her Dollywood Theme Park (near where she grew up in Locust Ridge) on Oct. 29, is “unreal.”

“It’s like a dream come true,” she tells PEOPLE. “This was a really big dream of mine because I’ve been writing all my life. My songwriting means more to me than anything else I do. So to see my songs come to life like this and see them on screen in any form is great. This was a dream, and now I’m here living it.”

Dolly Parton.Netflix

Dolly Parton’s Heartstringswill be available for streaming on Netflix on Nov. 22.

For more on Dolly Parton’s life now, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

source: people.com