Pakistan, Sept. 27 -- Miley Cyrus is missing from the MTV VMAs' planned Dolly Parton tribute and the reported reasons are adding a twist to the lineup.

Kacey Musgraves is set to lead Sunday's tribute to the country legend, despite Parton's famously close bond with her goddaughter Miley.

Now anonymous sources speaking to Rob Shutter say the decision may come down to a mix of emotion, production priorities and audience appeal.

"Dolly wasn't just an icon to Miley - she was family," a music insider noted. "There was concern that asking Miley to turn that grief into a television moment so soon would be incredibly emotional. This isn't just another tribute for her."

But another source claims Cyrus was never formally invited.

"Miley comes w...