Billy Ray Cyrus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colonel 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 Ray Cyrus (born August 25, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is famous for his hit song "Achy Breaky Heart" from 1992. This song was number one on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart. It was also the first song to sell enough copies to be called "triple platinum" in Australia. The music video for "Achy Breaky Heart" helped make line dance very popular.

Billy Ray Cyrus has sold many records. He has had eight songs reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. His first album, Some Gave All, is his most successful. It sold over 20 million copies worldwide. This album was number one on the Billboard 200 chart for 17 weeks. This is a record for a first album and for a country artist.

In 2019, Cyrus had his first number-one song on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. This was for a remix of Lil Nas X's song "Old Town Road". This song stayed at number one for a record-breaking nineteen weeks. Thanks to "Old Town Road", Cyrus won two Grammy Awards. These awards were for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video.

Billy Ray Cyrus has also had a successful acting career. From 2001 to 2004, he starred in the TV series Doc. He played a country doctor who moved to New York City. From 2006 to 2011, he was Robby Ray Stewart in the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana. He starred alongside his daughter Miley Cyrus, who played the main character. From 2016 to 2017, he played Vernon Brownmule in the CMT show Still the King.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Billy Ray Cyrus was born on August 25, 1961, in Flatwoods, Kentucky. His father, Ron Cyrus, was a steelworker and later a politician. Billy Ray started singing when he was four years old. His parents divorced in 1966. His family loved music, especially bluegrass and gospel.

Cyrus first went to Georgetown College on a baseball scholarship. But he soon changed his focus to music. He left college to follow his dream of becoming a musician. In the 1980s, he played in a band called Sly Dog. He later signed a record deal with Mercury Nashville Records.

Music Career Highlights

Early Success with Mercury Records (1990–2000)

Before getting his big break, Billy Ray Cyrus faced many challenges. He even lived in a car for a while. In 1990, he signed with PolyGram/Mercury Records. He also opened for famous singer Reba McEntire that year.

His first album, Some Gave All, came out in 1992. It was a huge success right away. The album reached number one on many charts, including the Billboard Top Country Albums and Billboard 200. The most popular song from the album was "Achy Breaky Heart". It became number one on the Hot Country Songs chart. It also reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song was a hit around the world, reaching number 1 in Australia. The music video for "Achy Breaky Heart" helped make line dance a global trend.

In 1993, Cyrus released his second album, It Won't Be the Last. This album also did very well, reaching number 1 on the Country charts. His third album, Storm in the Heartland, came out in 1994. He then released Trail of Tears in 1996. His last album for Mercury Records was Shot Full of Love in 1998. After this, he joined Monument Records in 1999. His first album with them was Southern Rain in 2000.

Exploring Christian Music (2003)

After his country music releases, Cyrus recorded two Christian music albums in 2003. These albums were called Time Flies and The Other Side. The Other Side reached number 5 on the Top Christian Albums chart.

Joining Disney Entertainment (2006)

In 2006, Billy Ray Cyrus released Wanna Be Your Joe. This was his first country album since 2000. He released it while he was filming the TV show Hannah Montana. The album reached number 24 on the Country charts. A music video was made for the song "Stand," which was a duet with his daughter Miley Cyrus.

Billy Ray Cyrus singing at the Spirit of America tour in October 2005.

Career Re-Launch and New Success (2007–2010)

In 2007, Cyrus was a contestant on the TV show Dancing with the Stars. He became a fan favorite and reached the semi-finals. Because of his popularity on this show and Hannah Montana, his record label released his new album, Home at Last, earlier than planned. It came out in July 2007 and reached number 3 on the country charts.

His song "Ready, Set, Don't Go" was first released as a solo song. In October 2007, he performed a duet version of the song with his daughter Miley Cyrus on Dancing with the Stars. This duet became a top 5 hit in 2008.

In late 2008, Cyrus announced a new album called Back to Tennessee. It was released in April 2009. The album's title song was also included on the Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack. He also sang a duet with Miley Cyrus called "Butterfly Fly Away" for the movie.

Later Music and "Old Town Road" (2010–2019)

After his time with Brother Clyde, Billy Ray Cyrus released a patriotic album called I'm American in 2011. He then released the album Change My Mind in 2012.

In 2017, he released the album Set the Record Straight. He also considered changing his name to just "Cyrus" for a short time. However, he later confirmed his name would remain Billy Ray.

In 2019, Billy Ray Cyrus was featured on a remix of Lil Nas X's song "Old Town Road". This song became a massive hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It stayed at the top for 19 weeks, breaking the record for the longest-running number one song in history. The song also earned him two Grammy Awards. In October 2019, "Old Town Road" received a "diamond certification." This means it sold over ten million units in the United States. It became the fastest song to reach this milestone.

Billy Ray Cyrus singing at the Kids Inaugural Event in January 2009.

Acting Career

Billy Ray Cyrus has acted in several films and television shows. In 2001, he appeared in the film Mulholland Drive. He also played the main role of Dr. Clint Cassidy in the TV series Doc from 2001 to 2004.

In 2005, he performed in a stage play of Annie Get Your Gun in Toronto. He played the role of Frank Butler.

His television appearances include shows like The Nanny and Diagnosis Murder. In late 2005, Cyrus and his daughter Miley Cyrus began starring together in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. The show premiered in March 2006. He played Robby Ray Stewart, Miley's father and manager.

In March 2007, Cyrus competed on the fourth season of Dancing with the Stars. He and his dance partner, Karina Smirnoff, made it to the eighth week of the competition.

Cyrus also appeared in the movie The Spy Next Door with Jackie Chan in 2010. In 2012, he made his Broadway debut in the musical Chicago. He played the character Billy Flynn for a limited time. 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. They wrote songs together for his first album.

In 1992, he became a father to two children. His son, Christopher Cody Cyrus, was born to Kristin Luckey. His daughter, Miley Ray Cyrus, was born to Leticia "Tish" Finley.

On December 28, 1993, Billy Ray married Tish Finley. They had three children together: Miley Ray Cyrus (born 1992), Braison Chance Cyrus (born 1994), and Noah Lindsey Cyrus (born 2000). He also adopted Tish's two children from a previous relationship: Brandi Glenn Cyrus (born 1987) and Trace Dempsey Cyrus (born 1989). In June 2021, Billy Ray became a grandfather when his son Braison welcomed his first child.

The family lived on a farm in Thompson's Station, Tennessee. They later moved to Los Angeles for the filming of Hannah Montana.

Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus filed for divorce multiple times. Their divorce was finalized in 2023.

In August 2022, Cyrus became engaged to Australian singer Firerose. They had met years earlier on the set of Hannah Montana. They released a song together called "New Day" in 2021. They were married on October 10, 2023. However, Billy Ray Cyrus filed for divorce from Firerose in May 2024. Their divorce was finalized on August 5, 2024.

As of April 2025, actress and model Elizabeth Hurley has shared that she and Cyrus are dating.

Political Views

Billy Ray Cyrus has supported some political figures. His song "We the People" was used in George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign. In August 2024, Cyrus showed his support for then-former president Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential election. He performed at the presidential inaugural ball in January 2025.

Awards

Billy Ray Cyrus has received several awards throughout his career. He is also a Kentucky Colonel, an honor given by the governor of Kentucky.

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)