Billy Ray Cyrus, born William Ray Cyrus on August 25, 1961, in Flatwoods, Kentucky, is a name synonymous with country music, thanks to his 1992 hit “Achy Breaky Heart.” With a career spanning over three decades, Cyrus has released 16 studio albums, scored eight top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and ventured into acting, most notably in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana alongside his daughter, Miley Cyrus. Beyond his musical and acting achievements, Cyrus’s life has been marked by personal triumphs, family dynamics, and recent controversies that have kept him in the public eye.
Cyrus’s early life was steeped in music and faith. Raised by his steelworker-turned-politician father, Ron Cyrus, and mother, Ruth Ann Casto, he grew up surrounded by bluegrass and gospel music. His grandfather, a Pentecostal preacher, influenced his spiritual upbringing, and Cyrus began singing at age four.
Despite his left-handedness making it difficult to play his father’s right-handed guitar, his passion for music persisted. After attending Georgetown College on a baseball scholarship, Cyrus dropped out during his junior year, inspired by a Neil Diamond concert to pursue a music career. In the 1980s, he played in a band called Sly Dog before signing with Mercury Nashville Records, a pivotal moment that launched his ascent to stardom.
In 1992, Cyrus burst onto the scene with his debut album, Some Gave All, which topped the Billboard 200 for 17 consecutive weeks, a record for a debut artist. The lead single, “Achy Breaky Heart,” became a cultural phenomenon, reaching triple platinum status in Australia and popularizing line dancing. The album itself achieved 9× multi-platinum certification in the United States.
Subsequent albums like It Won’t Be the Last (1993) and Storm in the Heartland (1994) continued his success, though none matched the meteoric rise of his debut. His 1996 album Trail of Tears was critically acclaimed but commercially underwhelming, and by 1999, Cyrus had moved to Monument Records, releasing Southern Rain.
Cyrus’s versatility extended beyond music. From 2001 to 2004, he starred in the TV series Doc, playing a country doctor in New York City. His role as Robby Ray Stewart in Hannah Montana (2006–2011) introduced him to a younger audience and showcased his bond with daughter Miley, who played the titular character.
The show’s success solidified the Cyrus family as entertainment royalty, but it also set the stage for the complex family dynamics that would later unfold. Cyrus also appeared in films like The Spy Next Door with Jackie Chan and competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2007.
In 2019, Cyrus experienced a career resurgence with his feature on Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” remix, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a record-breaking 19 weeks. The song earned Cyrus his first two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video, proving his enduring relevance in a new musical era.
However, Cyrus’s personal life has often overshadowed his professional achievements. Married three times, his most high-profile union was with Tish Cyrus, whom he wed in 1993. The couple shares three children—Miley, Braison, and Noah—and Cyrus adopted Tish’s children, Brandi and Trace, from a previous marriage.
Their 28-year marriage was turbulent, with divorce filings in 2010 and 2013 before a final split in 2022. The divorce sparked reported rifts within the family, particularly between Cyrus and Miley, who omitted her father from her 2024 Grammy acceptance speech.
Cyrus’s brief marriage to Australian singer Firerose (Johanna Rose Hodges) in 2023 ended in an acrimonious divorce in 2024 after seven months. The split was marred by mutual allegations of abuse, fraud, and manipulation.
Leaked audio revealed Cyrus berating Firerose, and he claimed she married him to exploit his name. Firerose alleged Cyrus isolated her and filed for divorce the day before her scheduled double mastectomy, leaving her without health insurance. The public feud further strained Cyrus’s relationship with his children, with Trace Cyrus expressing concern over his father’s health and behavior in a 2025 Instagram post.
In 2025, Cyrus’s performance at President Donald Trump’s inauguration was widely criticized as a “trainwreck” due to technical difficulties, prompting further scrutiny of his well-being. His son Trace’s public plea for Cyrus to seek help, coupled with Firerose’s comments about his struggles, painted a troubling picture. However, Cyrus has shown signs of resilience, reconciling with Miley and sharing a heartfelt moment with Noah when they both released new music on the same day in March 2025.
Currently, Cyrus is dating British actress Elizabeth Hurley, a relationship that surprised fans when announced via Instagram in 2025. The couple, who met while filming Christmas in Paradise in 2022, has been praised for their age-appropriate match, though some caution Hurley about Cyrus’s recent divorces.
Billy Ray Cyrus’s career is a testament to his talent and adaptability, from his mullet-sporting “Achy Breaky Heart” days to his genre-blending “Old Town Road” success.
Yet, his personal life—marked by family estrangements, high-profile divorces, and public controversies—reveals a man navigating the complexities of fame. As he continues to make music, with his son Braison producing his upcoming album, Cyrus remains a polarizing yet enduring figure in American entertainment. Whether through his art or his efforts to heal family wounds, Cyrus’s story is far from over.