Billy Ray Cyrus is a country music artist, father, actor, and most recently lent his vocals to the popular “Old Town Road” with Lil Nas X.
Here are seven other things you may not know about Billy Ray Cyrus.
Cyrus is Originally from Kentucky
The Flatwoods, Kentucky native exploded onto the music scene when his first album, Some Gave All, debuted on the all-genre Billboard album chart at No. 1. Cyrus was discovered when he opened for Reba in Louisville, Kentucky.
Attended College on a Baseball Scholarship
Before pursuing music, Cyrus attended Georgetown College where he received a scholarship to play baseball. He dropped out of school his junior year to pursue music after attending a Neil Diamond concert.
He’s Been Married for 25 Years
Marrying in his home in Franklin, Tn, Cyrus wed Tish Finley. Together the couple has six children – Miley, Braison, Noah, Trace, Brandi, and Christopher Cody Cyrus. Keeping with tradition, Miley married this past December to Liam Hemsworth at her home in Franklin.
His First Acting Role was in 1999
Cyrus landed his first acting gig back in 1999 in an independent film called Radical Jack. He went on to be featured in a television series Doc, Disney’s Hannah Montana and performed in a stage production of Annie Get Your Gun in Toronto. Other television guest spots include The Nanny, Love Boat, Diagnosis Murder, he also appeared as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, the fourth season where he was eliminated in the 8th week. Cyrus also appeared in a Jackie Chan movie The Spy Next Door. Most recently, he had a comedy series on CMT called Still the King.
Billy Ray Cyrus Had a Signature Mullet
With the wildly successful “Achy Breaky Heart” back in 1992, came the signature look of Billy Ray Cyrus’s mullet. In 2016, Billy Ray had a campaign video he filmed with Mashable wanting to bring back the mullet where he described it as “Preacher in the Front, Party in the Back.” His campaign may have worked as new country artist Morgan Wallen is bringing back the signature look.
“Achy Breaky Heart” Went Triple Platinum
His best-known song is “Achy Breaky Heart” which went triple platinum in Australia, the first single to ever receive that status in Australia. The song was translated into 100 languages. With the popularity of the music video, it kicked off the line dance craze in clubs.
His Latest Collaboration with Lil Nas X is Setting Records
By now, you’ve heard the hit song of the summer “Old Town Road” a song Lil Nas X first recorded solo but also recorded it with Billy Ray Cyrus.
Cyrus shared the back story with The Bobby Bones Show, that he and a couple of other songwriters wrote a verse for the song. Afterward, Cyrus thought that was it, but was called back and asked if he would sing on the song.
Weeks later, Cyrus and Lil Naz X met for the first time, shot the music video, and the song was released the following day. The day the song was released, Miley went to her dad’s house, pounded on the door screaming “You’re number two on the charts, the only people ahead of you are the Jonas Brothers!” Cyrus said he was slowly getting out of bed and by the time he was up, he heard a huge roar and lots of cheering come from his living room and Miley screaming “Dad you’re now number one!”
The song has remained No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 15 consecutive weeks.
