His boyhood home rang out with Gospel, country and bluegrass. Then, along came Z.Z. Top, Ted Nugent, Foghat, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet and every other bad-ass band to pass through eastern Kentucky in the 70s, and that was that. A rock en’ roll hellion was born. No matter how many country or Gospel chart-toppers he had, he never lost his passion for rock. With the self titled album Brother Clyde , the Fontana Records debut CD from his new band, Cyrus finally lets it rip.
Being original always came easily to Billy Ray Cyrus. That’s why he has to date sold more than 25 million albums worldwide, and amassed nearly 30 chart singles, including 15 Top 40 hits. His 1992 debut album, Some Gave All was a blockbuster, remaining the longest running #1 country album ever, spending 34 weeks on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. It also holds the record for the longest time spent by a debut artist, at #1 on the Billboard 200 at 17 consecutive weeks. A string of best-selling albums and singles followed, though his breakout hit, ‘Achy Breaky Heart,’ will never lose its classic status, nor will the moving salute to veterans ‘Some Gave All,’ a song that still elicits cheers and tears.
Eventually, Cyrus came roaring back, with albums like ‘Wanna Be Your Joe and his 2007 album Home At Last, a Top 3 chart smash. ‘Ready, Set, Don’t Go,’ a moving duet with daughter Miley, likewise became a Top 5 country hit and earned him a BMI Songwriter of the Year award. Last year, Cyrus released his 11th album, Back to Tennessee.
As an actor, Cyrus has enjoyed many starring roles, from the PAX series ‘Doc,’ and ‘The Spy Next Door’ alongside Jackie Chan, to the acclaimed movie ‘Mulholland Drive,’ and the Lifetime film ‘Flying By,’ not to mention a sensational season on the ABC hit show ‘Dancing with the Stars.’
