Billy Ray Cyrus “But don’t tell my heart, my achy breaky heart I just don’t think he’d understand”
by Snehashree Mandal for Country Music News International
American singer, songwriter and actor, winner of two Grammys, and a multi-platinum selling recording artist, Billy Ray Cyrus is a musical wunderkind.
Billy Cyrus Ray is the first singer who transformed Nashville’s take on the country music business during the 90’s decade. Many hailed Cyrus as the new icon of country music.
How did it all begin for Billy Ray Cyrus?
Born in Flatwoods, Kentucky, on August 25, 1961, to Ron Cyrus, a Kentucky politician and Ruth Ann Casto. For Billy, his musical and singing journey began quite early at the age of four because he was born in a household of music enthusiasts and was surrounded by country and gospel music.
He dropped out from Georgetown College while still in his junior year to kickstart his musical career with an initial 10-month goal. The prime motivation came after attending a Neil Diamond concert.
He thereafter started a band with his brother in the 1980s called Sly Dog but a fire incident at their home club broke the band apart. Yet, he continued performing his trademark rock and country blend music in many Nashville musical shows before being signed by Mercury Nashville Records in 1990.
In 1992, Cyrus released his debut album Some Gave All that instantly became a huge success. It topped several charts including Billboard Top Country Albums, Billboard 200, Canadian Country Albums chart, and more.
For 17 consecutive weeks, his debut album was at the number spot on the Billboard 200 and sold 20 million copies all over the world. “Achy Breaky Heart” is a hit single from his debut album that went on to earn triple platinum status in Australia and also acquired the number one spot on the US Hot Country Songs chart.
What followed after this for Billy Ray Cyrus?
What followed after this was 16 studio albums and 53 singles. Trail of Tears was Cyrus’s most critically acclaimed album from the year 1996. In 1999, Cyrus left Mercury Records and signed a deal with Monument Records. In 2003, the world witnessed Cyrus’s shift towards Christian Music.
At the same time, he began exploring his acting career with a few minor roles and then a lead role of Dr Clint Cassidy on the PAX comedy-drama Doc. He further joined Disney Entertainment, co-starring with his daughter Miley Cyrus for the Hannah Montana show. He also shot two documentaries with ABC, which were Billy Ray Cyrus: Dreams Come True and Billy Ray Cyrus: A Year on the Road. He even participated in the fourth season of Dancing with the Stars along with other celebrities. Jackie Chan’s, The Spy Next Door, is another notable work in his acting career.
His acting career also re-launched his singing career. In 2008, he became a part of Disney’s Country Sings Disney collection with two songs “Ready, Set, Don’t Go” and “Real Gone.” Billy Ray Cyrus continued releasing singles from 2010.
“Old Town Road” remix released in 2019 became a number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and remained at the top spot for twenty consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs.
The song also made Cyrus the winner of his first two Grammy awards.
Photo Credit: Complex