Billy Ray Cyrus

August 25, 1961

William Ray Cyrus

1992 Some Gave All

1993 It Won't Be the Last

1994 Storm in the Heartland

1996 Trail of Tears

1998 Shot Full of Love

2000 Southern Rain

2003 Time Flies

2003 The Other Side

2006 Wanna Be Your Joe

2007 Home at Last

2009 Back to Tennessee

Actor

Hannah Montana (84 episodes, 2006-2010)

The Spy Next Door (2010)

Christmas in Canaan (2009) (TV)

Flying By (2009)

Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)

Bait Shop (2008)

"Phineas and Ferb" (1 episode, 2008)

"Doc" (88 episodes, 2001-2004)

Elvis Has Left the Building (2004) (uncredited)

"Degrassi: The Next Generation" (1 episode, 2004)

Death and Texas (2004)

"Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye" (1 episode, 2002)

Wish You Were Dead (2002)

Mulholland Dr. (2001)

"18 Wheels of Justice" (1 episode, 2000)

Radical Jack (2000)

The Love Boat: The Next Wave (1 episode, 1999)

Producer

Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009) (producer)

As Himself

"The Bonnie Hunt Show" (2 episodes, 2009-2010)

Rachael Ray (2 episodes, 2009)

The Oprah Winfrey Show (2 episodes, 2007-2009)

CMT Star: Nashville Mansions (2009) (TV)

"Larry King Live" (1 episode, 2009)

"El hormiguero" (1 episode, 2009)

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (3 episodes, 1993-2009)

Entertainment Tonight (23 episodes, 2007-2009)

The Tyra Banks Show (2 episodes, 2008-2009)

Live with Regis and Kathie Lee (3 episodes, 2007-2009)

"CMT Insider" (10 episodes, 2007-2009)

Kids' Inaugural: We Are the Future (2009) (TV)

2009 Golden Globe Awards Red Carpet Special (2009) (TV)

Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade (2008) (TV)

2008 American Music Awards (2008) (TV)

42nd Annual Country Music Association Awards (2008) (TV)

DirecTV Concert Series: Billy Ray Cyrus (2008) (TV)

"Nashville Star" (9 episodes, 2008)

Studio DC: Almost Live! (2008) (TV)

"NBC Sunday Night Football" (1 episode, 2008)

Hillbilly: The Real Story (2008) (TV)

2008 CMT Music Awards (2008) (TV)

Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008)

"Project Dad" (1 episode, 2008)

"Billy Ray Cyrus: Home at Last" (2007) TV series (2007)

Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade (2007) (TV)

Biography (2 episodes, 2006-2007)

Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show (1 episode, 2007)

Dancing with the Stars (17 episodes, 2007)

2007 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (2007) (TV)

The View (1 episode, 2007)

The Real Miley Cyrus (2007)

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2 episodes, 2007)

New Year Sing-A-Long Bowl-A-Thon! (2006) (TV)

"The Megan Mullally Show" (1 episode, 2006)

2006 American Music Awards (2006) (TV)

CMA Red Carpet 2006 (2006) (TV)

40th Annual Country Music Association Awards (2006) (TV)

SoapTalk (1 episode, 2006)

41st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (2006) (TV)

Tootsie's Orchid Lounge: Where the Music Began (2005)

"Top of the Pops 2" (1 episode, 2002)

"Politically Incorrect" (1 episode, 1998)

Company's Comin': A Tribute to Porter Wagoner (1997) (TV)

"Diagnosis Murder" (1 episode, 1997)

"The Nanny" (1 episode, 1995)

Elvis: The Tribute (1994) (TV)

Billy Ray Cyrus: A Year on the Road (1994) (TV)

27th Annual Country Music Association Awards (1993) (TV)

Billy Ray Cyrus: Dreams Come True (1993) (TV)

"De tú a tú" (1 episode, 1992)

The Best of Country '92: Countdown at the Neon Armadillo (1992) (TV)

The 1992 Billboard Music Awards (1992) (TV)

"Viéndonos" (1 episode, 1992)

The Arsenio Hall Show (TV) (1 episode, 1992)

Top of the Pops (3 episodes, 1992)

26th Annual Country Music Association Awards (1992) (TV)

Good Morning America (1 episode, 1992)

Billy Ray Cyrus Live (1992)

1992 CMA Awards Single of the Year - "Achy Breaky Heart" Won, Song of the Year - "Achy Breaky Heart" Nominated

1992 Billboard Music Awards Most weeks at #1 Album, Some Gave All Won

1992 Billboard Video Music Awards Best Male Artist, Country, "Achy Breaky Heart" Won, Best New Artist, Country, "Achy Breaky Heart" Won

1992 AMOA Jukebox Awards Pop Record of the Year, "Achy Breaky Heart" Won, Country Record of the Year, "Achy Breaky Heart" Won, Rising Star Award Won

1992 National Association of Recording Merchandisers Record of the Year, New Artist Won, Record of the Year, Country Male Won, Record of the Year, Male Won, Record of the Year, Overall Won

1992 Country Music Television Most Popular Music Video, "Achy Breaky Heart" Won

1992 JUNO Awards Best Selling Single, "Achy Breaky Heart" Won

1992 R&R Readers Pool Best New Artist Won

1992 People Magazine One of the Most Intriguing People of the Year 1992 Won

1993 American Music Awards Favorite Country New Artist Won, Favorite Country Single - "Achy Breaky Heart" Won, Favorite Country Male Artist Nominated

1993 World Music Awards Best International New Artist of the Year Won

1993 Country Music Television #6 on Top 10 Video List, "In the Heart of a Woman" Won

1993 Canadian Country Music Awards Best Selling Album (foreign or domestic), Some Gave All Won

1993 Grammy Awards Record of the Year - "Achy Breaky Heart" Nominated, Best New Artist Nominated, Best Country Vocal Performance, Male - "Achy Breaky Heart" Nominated

1994 Billboard 100th Anniversary Awards 16th Best Selling Album of all time, Some Gave All Won

1994 Childhelp USA Humanitarium Award Won

1994 American Music Awards Favorite Country Single - "Romeo" (Dolly Parton with Tanya Tucker, Billy Ray Cyrus, Kathy Mattea, Pam Tillis and Mary Chapin Carpenter) Nominated

1994 Grammy Awards Best Country Vocal Collaboration - "Romeo" (Dolly Parton with Tanya Tucker, Billy Ray Cyrus, Kathy Mattea, Pam Tillis and Mary Chapin Carpenter) Nominated

1995 Berkley Popular Cultural Society's Innovator Award University of California Won

1995 State of South Carolina Humanitarium Award Won

1995 Congressional Medal of Honor Society's Bob Hope Award Won

1995 Country Music Cares Humanirarium Award Won

1996 Country Radio Seminar Won

1996 The VFW Hall of Fame Award Won

1997 TNN/Music City News Single of the Year - "Trail of Tears" Won

1997 Modern Screen Country Music Magazine Entertainer and Male Artist Won

1997 Air Force Sergeant Award Americanism Award Won

1998 TNN/Music City News Single of the Year - "Busy Man" Won, Album of the Year - Shot Full of Love Won, Song of the Year - "Busy Man" Won, Video of the Year - "Busy Man" Won, Male Artist of the Year Won

1998 Modern Screen Country Music Magazine Entertainer and Male Artist Won

1999 Modern Screen Country Music Magazine Entertainer and Male Artist Won, Entertainment Buyers Association Won, Humanitarium of the Year Won, Music Row's Magazine's "Video of the Year" for "Give My Heart to You" Won

2000 Country Radio Broadcasters Artist Humanitarian Award Won

2000 Kennedy Center Honors Won

2002 Bob Hope Congressional Medal of Honor Society Entertainer of the Year Won

2005 Grace Awards Most Inspiring Television Actor for Doc in "Happy Trails" Nominated

2008 CMT Music Awards Tearjerker Video of the Year - "Ready, Set, Don't Go" Nominated

2008 BMI Songwriter of the Year Top 50 Most Played Songs of 2008 - "Ready, Set, Don't Go" Won

2009 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Parental Unit - Hannah Montana Won

2009 American Music Awards Favorite Soundtrack - Hannah Montana: The Movie (as a member of the Various Artists) Nominated

2010 GMC Video Awards Favorite Country Video - "Somebody Said a Prayer" Nominated

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Not since white rapper Vanilla Ice has an entertainer become so hot so fast, or inspired as much derisive backlash, as country singer Billy Ray Cyrus did in 1992. Cyrus’ ticket to super-stardom was a catchy #1 country single called “Achy Breaky Heart” (#4 pop, 1992) penned by Don Von Tress, which propelled the singer’s debut album “Some Gave All” to the top of both the pop and country charts. The album sold over 9 million copies and Cyrus eclipsed Garth Brooks – for a while anyway – as contemporary country’s biggest crossover star. For years, he looked to be a one-hit wonder, though eventually, he enjoyed a more modest degree of success.

Cyrus began playing guitar at 20, forming a band called Sly Dog. He moved to L.A. soon afterward to pursue a recording contract. He wound up selling cars instead and eventually moved back East to Huntington, West Virginia. Cyrus was signed to Mercury in 1990 and recorded “Some Gave All” with the members of a re-formed Sly Dog. The “Achy Breaky Heart” single and video premiered in early 1992 and Mercury promoted them with dance-club contests that made “The Achy-Breaky” a national line dance craze. But Cyrus’ music, much of which he wrote, was dismissed as fluff by critics and by several of his Nashville peers. The singer’s good ole boy simplicity and macho good looks earned him an unfortunate reputation as a dumb hunk. In a nod to his skeptics, Cyrus called his 1993 sophomore album “It Won’t Be the Last” (and it wasn’t). The album was actually better received than its predecessor, but it didn’t spawn any monster hits on the order of “Achy Breaky”. Neither did 1994’s “Storm in the Heartland”.

Cyrus took a more roots-oriented approach to “Trail of Tears” (#125, 1996), but ironically, it was his greatest-hits collection (#23 C&W, 1997) that sparked a country comeback. “It’s All the Same to Me”, a new track off the album, hit #19 on the country singles chart. In late 1998, he released “Shot Full of Love” (#32 C&W) and had another country hit, the #3 “Busy Man”. Afterward, Cyrus turned his attention to acting, scoring roles in the TV movies “Mullholland Drive” (a failed David Lynch series pilot) and “Doc”, as well as the feature films “Radical Jack and “Wish You Were Dead”.

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