Editing Billy Ray Cyrus (section)

==Music career==
===The Mercury Records years===
While trying to get a recording contract in Los Angeles, Cyrus suffered many hardships including living in his neighbor's car. However, in 1990, he was signed to [[Mercury Nashville Records|PolyGram/Mercury]]. In the same year he opened for [[Reba McEntire]].<ref name="mileycyrusbio-2009" /> Cyrus began to record and write music for his debut album, released in 1992.

''[[Some Gave All]]'' was released in 1992. The album became an instant chart and sales success. It debuted at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' [[Top Country Albums]], ''Billboard'' 200, Canadian Country Albums chart, [[Canadian Albums Chart]], and on the charts of several other countries. The album featured four consecutive top 40 singles on the [[Hot Country Songs]] chart from 1992 to 1993, including an album cut, the title track. The most successful single released was "[[Achy Breaky Heart]]". It reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and was also a hit on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], where it reached No. 4. Uniquely for a country music song it also became an international success, reaching number 1 in Australia and number 3 on the [[UK Singles Chart]]. Thanks to the video of this hit, there was the explosion of the [[line dance]] into the mainstream, becoming a global craze.<ref name="OutOfStyle">{{cite news|date=October 30, 1992|title=Line dancing refuses to go out of style|newspaper=Star-News|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iqssAAAAIBAJ&pg=2782,6165269&dq=billy+ray+cyrus+line+dancing&hl=en|access-date=August 12, 2010}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Additionally, the singles "[[Could've Been Me]]" reached No. 2, "Wher'm I Gonna Live?" reached No. 23, and "[[She's Not Cryin' Anymore]]" reached No. 6. ''Some Gave All'' was certified 9× multi-platinum in the United States in 1996, and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

[[File:Billy Ray Cyrus Tour.jpg|thumb|Cyrus singing at the Spirit of America tour, October 2005<ref>[http://spiritofamericatour.org/artists/ "Spirit of America Tour: Artists"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701033117/http://spiritofamericatour.org/artists/ |date=July 1, 2016 }}, ''spiritofamerica.org''</ref>]]

In 1993, Cyrus and Mercury Records quickly released Cyrus' second studio album, ''[[It Won't Be the Last]]''. The album featured four singles, three of which made the top 40. The album debuted at No.&nbsp;1 on the Country charts, and No.&nbsp;3 on the ''Billboard'' 200. By the end of the year, ''It Won't Be the Last'' was certified platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]. The highest-charting single, the lead-off single, "[[In the Heart of a Woman]]", charted to No. 3, with "[[Somebody New (Billy Ray Cyrus song)|Somebody New]]" charting to No. 9, "Words By Heart" at No. 12, and "Talk Some" at No. 63. Also in 1993, Cyrus appeared on [[Dolly Parton]]'s single "[[Slow Dancing with the Moon|Romeo]]"; though the single only reached 27 on the country singles charts, the accompanying video was popular on [[Country Music Television|CMT]].

Cyrus' third studio album, ''[[Storm in the Heartland]]'', was released in 1994. It was the final album he recorded for PolyGram, which closed its doors in 1995. The album was not as successful as its predecessors. It only reached No. 11 on the Country albums chart, and only the title track made the top 40 of the Country singles chart. "Deja Blue" was the second single released; however, it only managed to chart to No. 66, and the third and final single, "One Last Thrill", failed to chart at all.

The album managed to be certified gold in the U.S. Before Cyrus started on his next album, he was transferred to [[Universal Music Group Nashville|Mercury Nashville]].

Also in 1994, Cyrus contributed the song "Pictures Don't Lie" to the [[AIDS]] benefit album [[Red Hot + Country]] produced by the [[Red Hot Organization]].

Cyrus' most critically acclaimed album was 1996's ''[[Trail of Tears (Billy Ray Cyrus album)|Trail of Tears]]'' for Mercury Records. The album debuted at No. 20 on the Country chart. Only two songs made the cut to radio, neither of which hit the top 40. The title track and "Three Little Words" reached No. 69 and No. 65 respectively. The album failed to reach any certification, and was off the charts after only four weeks.

In 1998, Cyrus released his last album for Mercury Records ''[[Shot Full of Love]]''. The album became his lowest-peaking album, debuting at No. 32. The first single, "Under the Hood", failed to chart, "Time for Letting Go" hit No. 70, "[[Busy Man]]" charted No. 3, and "I Give My Heart to You" reached No. 41. After the single fell from the charts, Cyrus left Mercury and signed with [[Monument Records]] in 1999.

His debut album for Monument, ''[[Southern Rain]]'', was released in 2000. It debuted at No. 13 on the Country albums chart and No. 102 on the ''Billboard'' 200. Five singles were released and all five charted. The lead-off single, "[[You Won't Be Lonely Now]]", was the highest-peaking single from the album, charting to No. 17. Other singles include "We the People" (No. 60), "Burn Down the Trailer Park" (No. 43), "Crazy 'Bout You Baby" (No. 58), and the title track (No. 45).

===Shift to Christian music===
After the singles from ''Southern Rain'' finished their chart runs, Cyrus recorded two Christian albums. Both albums, ''[[Time Flies (Billy Ray Cyrus album)|Time Flies]]'' and ''[[The Other Side (Billy Ray Cyrus album)|The Other Side]]'', were released in 2003. The first album debuted and peaked at a low No.&nbsp;56 on the Country album charts. Three singles were released; however, only the final single reached the charts. "Bread Alone", "What Else Is There", and "Back to Memphis" were released, and "Back to Memphis" charted to No.&nbsp;60.

The second Christian album, ''The Other Side'', was recorded while Cyrus filmed his [[PAX (TV network)|PAX]] series, ''[[Doc (2001 TV series)|Doc]]''. It debuted at No.&nbsp;5 on the [[Top Christian Albums]] chart, No.&nbsp;18 Top Country Albums, and No.&nbsp;131 on ''Billboard'' 200. Two of three singles charted – "Face of God" (No. 54) and "The Other Side" (No. 45) – while "Always Sixteen" did not chart.

===Disney Entertainment===
The album ''[[Wanna Be Your Joe]]'' was Billy Ray's first country album since 2000's ''Southern Rain''. It was again recorded on a new record label: New Door/UMe Records. It was released while Cyrus was filming the show ''[[Hannah Montana]]''. ''Wanna Be Your Joe'' made it to No.&nbsp;24 on the Country charts and No.&nbsp;113 on the all-genre charts. The album initially sold well, but no hit-single was released. The title track was released as the first single, and was followed by "I Want My Mullet Back", both of which were ignored by country radio. Although not released as a single, a music video was made for the track "Stand", a duet with daughter [[Miley Cyrus]].

Also in 2006, Billy Ray appeared with metal-rock group [[Metal Skool]] (now [[Steel Panther]]), and performed several songs including "[[Rebel Yell (song)|Rebel Yell]]" by [[Billy Idol]], and the song "I Want My Mullet Back", which appears on ''Wanna Be Your Joe''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpah6c4plII |title=Billy Ray & Metal Skool |publisher=YouTube |date=November 1, 2006 |access-date=August 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924165227/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpah6c4plII |archive-date=September 24, 2014 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

He also sang "[[The Star-Spangled Banner|The Star Spangled Banner]]" at Game 5 of the [[2006 World Series]] in [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]].

===Career re-launch===
In mid-2007, Cyrus was a celebrity contestant on the 4th season of the show ''[[Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 4)|Dancing with the Stars]]''. Cyrus was partnered with [[Karina Smirnoff]]. He quickly became a fan favorite. Cyrus and Smirnoff made it to the semi-finals, where they finished in 5th place.

From Cyrus's exposure on ''[[Dancing with the Stars]]'' and ''[[Hannah Montana]]'', his record label pushed up the release date by a month for his new album. ''[[Home at Last (Billy Ray Cyrus album)|Home at Last]]'' was released in July 2007 on [[Walt Disney Records]]. It debuted at No.&nbsp;3 on the country charts, making it Cyrus' first top 5 entry since 1993. Beginning sales for the album were very strong; however, the album failed to be certified. The single "[[Ready, Set, Don't Go]]", was initially released as a solo single. The solo version made it to No.&nbsp;33 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

In October 2007, Cyrus and his daughter [[Miley Cyrus|Miley]] performed a duet of the song on ''Dancing with the Stars''. The duet debuted at No.&nbsp;27 on the Country charts and eventually peaked at No.&nbsp;4 in 2008, giving Billy Ray his first top 5 single since 1999, as well as Miley's first top 5 on any ''Billboard'' chart.

Cyrus was a part of the Disney collection ''[[Country Sings Disney]]'' in 2008. Two of his songs, "Ready, Set, Don't Go" and the [[Sheryl Crow]]-penned song "[[Real Gone (song)|Real Gone]]", appeared on the album. Billy Ray's version of "Real Gone" was also made into a music video that is in rotation on both [[Country Music Television|CMT]] and [[Great American Country|GAC]]; the song also appears on ''[[Back to Tennessee]]''.

=== New label and newfound chart success ===
[[File:Billy Ray Cyrus at Kids Inaugural Concert.jpg|thumb|Cyrus singing at the ''Kids Inaugural Event'' in January 2009]]

In late 2008, his website announced that a new studio album would be released by the end of the year from [[Lyric Street Records]], entitled ''[[Back to Tennessee]]''. The album was originally planned to be released on October 21, 2008, but was pushed back to November 18. When the album was not released, it was announced for a January 13, 2009, release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billyraycyrus.com/movies/news.shtml#NEW%20RELEASE%20DATE%20FOR%20BACK%20TO%20TENNESSEE%20-%20JANUARY%2013TH,%202009 |title="Back to Tennessee" now in stores 1/13/09 |publisher=Billyraycyrus.com |access-date=August 29, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101116205245/http://www.billyraycyrus.com/movies/news.shtml |archive-date=November 16, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.billyraycyrus.com/|title=Billy Ray Cyrus – Official Website|date=October 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028064617/http://www.billyraycyrus.com/|archive-date=October 28, 2016}}</ref> The first single, "[[Somebody Said a Prayer]]", debuted at No. 53 in August 2008 and reached No.&nbsp;33 in November of that year. On March 14, 2009, the album's title track debuted at No. 59 on the country singles chart and a month later on April 7, ''Back to Tennessee'' was released. The song only charted to No. 47 after 11 weeks. A third single, "[[A Good Day (song)|A Good Day]]", debuted at No. 60 on the country charts for the chart week of September 5, 2009.

It was less successful in its first week out as ''Home at Last''. It only reached No.&nbsp;13 on the charts and only sold approximately 14,000 copies in its opening week. The album's release date coincided with the release of ''[[Hannah Montana: The Movie]]''. The song "Back to Tennessee" was included on the [[Hannah Montana: The Movie (soundtrack)|movie's soundtrack]], as well as a duet with [[Miley Cyrus]], entitled "[[Butterfly Fly Away]]". The latter song would peak at No. 56 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and at No. 50 and [[Canadian Hot 100]].

On November 12, 2008, Billy Ray and Miley presented the "Song of the Year" award at the 42nd Annual [[Country Music Association Awards]]. Prior to the award show, both Billy Ray and Miley performed on ''[[Good Morning America]]''. In December 2008, Cyrus made a cameo in [[Metro Station (band)|Metro Station's]] video, "[[Seventeen Forever]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3esKbQK58OI |title="Seventeen Forever" official video |publisher=YouTube |access-date=August 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131110416/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3esKbQK58OI |archive-date=January 31, 2009 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

Shortly after the chart debut of ''Back to Tennessee'''s third single, "A Good Day", Cyrus and Lyric Street Records parted ways after only one album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lyricstreetrecords.go.com/|title=Lyric Street Records artists|publisher=Lyric Street Records|access-date=September 9, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905052552/http://lyricstreetrecords.go.com/|archive-date=September 5, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cyrus, [[Phil Vassar]], [[Jeffrey Steele]], and [[John Waite]] formed a supergroup together in early 2009 called Brother Clyde.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5942334,00.html |title=Billy Ray Cyrus, Phil Vassar Forming Supergroup? |publisher=[[Great American Country]] |date=April 19, 2009 |access-date=September 19, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102235050/http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5942334,00.html |archive-date=January 2, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://jeffreysteele.com/blog/press/billy-ray-cyrus-phil-vassar-forming-supergroup/ |title=Billy Ray Cyrus, Phil Vassar Forming Supergroup? |newspaper=Jeffrey Steele |access-date=November 28, 2015 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065030/http://jeffreysteele.com/blog/press/billy-ray-cyrus-phil-vassar-forming-supergroup/ |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> On [[Twitter]] Cyrus confirmed he was in a supergroup and said they had just cut the first single for their new album, ''Lately''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/billyraycyrus|title=Twitter – Billy Ray Cyrus|publisher=Billy Ray Cyrus|date=September 12, 2009|access-date=September 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919214258/http://twitter.com/billyraycyrus|archive-date=September 19, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

On June 30, 2010, Cyrus said about the new [[alternative rock]] group [[Brother Clyde]] that the old members would be substituted by [[Samantha Maloney]], Jamie Miller, Dan Knight, and Dave Henning. Also, he said that their single, "Lately", was available on [[iTunes]] and that their debut album would be out on August 10, 2010.<ref>Billie Ray Cyrus (Facebook Account)</ref>

=== Post-Brother Clyde, "Old Town Road" remix and popular resurgence ===
In late 2010, Cyrus suspended his activities in the band [[Brother Clyde]], and announced the release of his new solo patriotic album, entitled ''[[I'm American]]''. Initially scheduled to be released in November 2010, it was pushed back to a May 24, 2011, release with a re-recording of "Some Gave All" that featured guest vocals from [[Darryl Worley]], [[Jamey Johnson]] and [[Craig Morgan]] being released as the lead-off single. However, in April 2011, the single was changed to "Runway Lights". ''I'm American'' was released on June 28, 2011. A second single, "[[Nineteen (song)|Nineteen]]", was released in August 2011. The song entered the Hot Country Songs chart for the week of October 8, 2011, where it debuted at number 58, becoming Cyrus' first charted single since "A Good Day" in 2009.

Cyrus released the album ''[[Change My Mind (Billy Ray Cyrus album)|Change My Mind]]'' on October 23, 2012. Its first single, the title track, was released on September 6.

In April 2017, Cyrus told ''[[Rolling Stone Country]]'' that on his birthday, August 25, he would be known as Cyrus, or "the artist formerly known as Billy Ray", after legally changing his name.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/billy-ray-cyrus-changes-name-to-cyrus-re-records-achy-breaky-heart-117126/|title=Billy Ray Cyrus Changes Name to 'Cyrus,' Re-Records 'Achy Breaky Heart'|last=Hudak|first=Joseph|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=April 28, 2017|accessdate=August 30, 2021}}</ref> Fans did not like this, but on ''[[Live with Kelly and Ryan]]'' Cyrus said "I'm here to set the record straight. That's the name of the album–'Cyrus'. Then, subtitled, 'Set the Record Straight.'" He assured fans his name would still be Billy Ray.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.soundslikenashville.com/news/billy-ray-cyrus-clears-name-change/|title=Billy Ray Cyrus Clears Up Confusion About Name Change|last=Smith|first=Sydney|newspaper=Sounds Like Nashville|date=July 13, 2017|accessdate=August 30, 2021}}</ref>

After ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' removed American rapper [[Lil Nas X]]'s country-rap song "[[Old Town Road]]" from their Country chart, Cyrus was featured in the remix.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/05/entertainment/billy-ray-cyrus-lil-nas-x-remix-drops/index.html|title=Billy Ray Cyrus sings about diamond rings and Maseratis in Lil Nas X's genre-bending song|work=CNN|date=April 5, 2019}}</ref> The remix rose to number one on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], unseating the original mix of the song and giving Cyrus his first number one song on the Hot 100.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2019/04/15/old-town-road-earns-a-second-week-at-no-1-this-time-with-billy-ray-cyrus-on-board/#7d11505e2548|title='Old Town Road' Earns A Second Week At No. 1, This Time With Billy Ray Cyrus On Board|author=McIntyre, Hugh|magazine=[[Forbes]]|date=April 15, 2019}}</ref> "Old Town Road" spent 19 consecutive weeks (18 of those credited to Cyrus) on the Hot 100, breaking the record as the longest running number one song in history, surpassing the record that was previously set by [[Mariah Carey]] and [[Boyz II Men]] song "[[One Sweet Day]]".<ref name="auto">{{Cite magazine|date=August 12, 2019|title=Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' Leads Billboard Hot 100 for 19th Week, Ariana Grande & Social House's 'Boyfriend' Debuts in Top 10|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8527171/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-number-one-hot-100-19-weeks|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=September 5, 2019}}</ref> The song was nominated for various [[Grammy Award]]s, winning [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance|Best Pop Duo/Group Performance]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Music Video|Best Music Video]].<ref name=":0" /> In October 2019, the song received a [[Recording Industry Association of America#"Digital" single certification|diamond certification]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]], selling over ten million total units in the United States. It became the fastest song to be awarded diamond certification.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Jay |last=Connor |url=https://thegrapevine.theroot.com/lil-nas-x-takes-the-old-town-road-to-diamond-status-be-1839292040|title=Lil Nas X Takes the 'Old Town Road' to Diamond Status, Becomes Fastest Song Ever to Do So |date=October 23, 2019 |website=The Root|access-date=October 24, 2019}}</ref>