Billy Ray Cyrus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Billy Ray Cyrus
Cyrus in 2019
Born	William Ray Cyrus (1961-08-25) August 25, 1961 (age 63) Flatwoods, Kentucky, U.S.
Alma mater	Georgetown College
Occupation	Singer songwriter actor
Years active	1989–present
Spouse(s)	Cindy Smith ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 1991)​ Tish Finley ​ ​ (m. 1993; div. 2023)​ Firerose ​ ​ (m. 2023; div. 2024)​
Children	6, including Brandi, Trace, Miley and Noah Cyrus
Parent(s)	Ron Cyrus (father)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Country country pop
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Mercury Monument Madacy Word Curb Warner Bros. New Door UMe Walt Disney Lyric Street Buena Vista Broken Bow

William "Billy" Ray Cyrus (/ˈsaɪrəs/ SY-rəs; born August 25, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is famous for his hit song "Achy Breaky Heart". This song was a huge success in 1992. It became the first single ever to reach triple platinum status in Australia.

Billy Ray Cyrus has released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992. His first album, Some Gave All, was incredibly popular. It stayed at number one on the Billboard 200 chart for 17 weeks. This was a record for a new country artist. The album sold over 20 million copies worldwide. It is the best-selling debut album by a solo male artist ever.

In 2019, Cyrus had another big hit with "Old Town Road". He was featured on a remix of Lil Nas X's song. This song broke records by staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks. Thanks to "Old Town Road", Cyrus won two Grammy Awards. He won for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video.

Besides music, Billy Ray Cyrus is also an actor. He starred in the TV show Doc from 2001 to 2004. He also played Robby Ray Stewart in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. In this show, he acted alongside his daughter, Miley Cyrus.

Early Life and Start in Music

Billy Ray Cyrus was born on August 25, 1961. His hometown is Flatwoods, Kentucky. His father, Ron Cyrus, was a steelworker and later a politician. Billy Ray started singing when he was just four years old.

He grew up listening to bluegrass and gospel music. His family members were also musicians. Billy Ray went to Georgetown College on a baseball scholarship. However, he soon decided to focus on music. He dropped out of college to chase his dream. In the 1980s, he played in a band called Sly Dog. Later, he signed a record deal with Mercury Nashville Records.

Music Career Highlights

Early Success with Mercury Records

Billy Ray Cyrus signed with PolyGram/Mercury in 1990. He released his first album, Some Gave All, in 1992. This album was an instant hit. It went straight to number one on several music charts.

The album included the famous song "Achy Breaky Heart". This song reached number one on the Hot Country Songs chart. It also became a top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. "Achy Breaky Heart" was a global success. Its music video helped make line dance popular everywhere. Other songs from the album also did well. Some Gave All sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

In 1993, Cyrus released his second album, It Won't Be the Last. This album also did very well. It reached number one on the Country charts. The song "In the Heart of a Woman" was a top 3 hit.

His third album, Storm in the Heartland, came out in 1994. It was not as big as his first two albums. After this, he moved to Mercury Nashville. In 1996, he released Trail of Tears. His last album for Mercury Records was Shot Full of Love in 1998.

New Labels and Christian Music

In 2000, Cyrus released Southern Rain with Monument Records. This album had five singles that charted. The song "You Won't Be Lonely Now" was the most successful.

After this, Billy Ray Cyrus recorded two Christian music albums. Time Flies and The Other Side both came out in 2003. The Other Side did well on the Christian album charts.

Disney and Hannah Montana

In 2006, Billy Ray released the country album Wanna Be Your Joe. This was while he was filming the show Hannah Montana. The album reached number 24 on the Country charts.

His role as Robby Ray Stewart in Hannah Montana made him very popular with kids. He played the father of Miley Stewart, played by his real-life daughter, Miley Cyrus. The show ran from 2006 to 2011.

Career Re-launch and "Old Town Road"

In 2007, Cyrus competed on Dancing with the Stars. He became a fan favorite and reached the semi-finals. His album Home at Last was released that year. It included the song "Ready, Set, Don't Go". He later sang this song as a duet with his daughter Miley. It became a top 5 hit in 2008.

Cyrus singing at the Kids Inaugural Event in January 2009

In 2009, he released the album Back to Tennessee. The title song was also on the Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack. He also sang a duet with Miley called "Butterfly Fly Away" for the movie.

In 2019, Billy Ray Cyrus had a huge comeback with the "Old Town Road" remix. He joined Lil Nas X on the song. It became the longest-running number one song in history on the Billboard Hot 100. This success earned him two Grammy Awards. The song also received a diamond certification. This means it sold over ten million units in the United States.

Acting Career

Billy Ray Cyrus has had many acting roles. In 2001, he played the main character, Dr. Clint Cassidy, in the TV show Doc. This show was very popular.

From 2006 to 2011, he starred as Robby Ray Stewart in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. He also appeared in movies like The Spy Next Door with Jackie Chan. In 2012, he performed on Broadway in the musical Chicago. From 2016 to 2017, he starred in the CMT sitcom Still the King.

Personal Life and Family

Billy Ray Cyrus has been married three times. He was married to Cindy Smith from 1986 to 1991. He then married Tish Finley in 1993. They had three children together: Miley Ray Cyrus, Braison Chance Cyrus, and Noah Lindsey Cyrus. He also adopted Tish's two children from a previous relationship, Brandi Glenn Cyrus and Trace Dempsey Cyrus. Billy Ray also has another son, Christopher Cody Cyrus.

The family lived on a farm in Tennessee. They later moved to Los Angeles for the filming of Hannah Montana. In 2023, Billy Ray married Australian singer Firerose. However, they divorced in 2024.

Political Views

Billy Ray Cyrus has shared his political views. While his song "We the People" was used by Republican George W. Bush in his 2000 presidential campaign, Cyrus has said he was a lifelong Democrat. In 2024, he showed support for Republican former President Donald Trump. He also performed at a presidential inaugural ball in 2025.

Discography

Studio albums

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Billy Ray Cyrus para niños

• List of awards and nominations received by Billy Ray Cyrus
• List of best-selling albums in the United States
• List of country music performers
• List of number-one hits (United States)