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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 1 February 2020
One hit no more: Persistence pays off for Billy Ray Cyrus

By KRISTIN M. HALL Tress was hoping that the
Associated Press album would show a dif-
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — ferent side of the star that
Most people would say that everyone had preconcep-
Billy Ray Cyrus has been tions about. But it failed to
lucky to keep finding him- chart on Billboard's country
self in the middle of massive albums chart.
pop culture moments over "Timing was a little bad for
this three-decade long ca- our record because it just
reer in music and television. got tsunami-ed," Tress ad-
Between his auspicious mitted.
1992 debut with "Achy Cyrus doesn't think too
Breaky Heart," to starring much about whether "Old
alongside his daughter Mi- Town Road" will boost his
ley in the hit Disney show own career.
"Hannah Montana," to fi- "I've learned don't look
nally taking home his first back. The past does not
Grammy trophies for an equal the future," Cyrus
equally goofy and contro- said. "I've just found a
versial hit "Old Town Road," great deal of excitement in
lightning keeps striking for where I'm at right now."
the Flatwoods, Kentucky, Cyrus has weathered the
singer and actor. But to the highs and lows of his career
58-year-old, it's more than because of his persistence
luck. and an unwavering belief
"To me, it was a celebra- that God wants him to en-
tion of persistence, a cel- tertain people. His new EP
ebration of not giving up," has a cover of a Neil Dia-
Cyrus said from his home in mond song, "I Am... I Said."
Los Angeles, just days after It was a Neil Diamond con-
sharing Grammy Awards cert that convinced him as
for best music video and a young man to give up his
best pop duo/group per- dream of being a Cincin-
formance with Atlanta rap- nati Reds baseball player
per Lil Nas X. and pursue music instead.
While "Old Town Road" "I felt hands. And they were
hasn't exactly resulted in holding me, saying, 'This is
a massive resurgence for your purpose, Cyrus. You
Cyrus or his own country gotta go buy a guitar and
songs, it has reinvigorated start a band,'" he said.
him personally. He's releas- Singer-songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus poses for a portrait with an Ovation guitar presented to him by Three decades later, Cyrus
ing a three-song EP on Fri- Neil Diamond in 1992, at his home in Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. said he's happy with what
day "The Singin' Hills Ses- Associated Press he's been able to achieve,
sions Vol. 1 Sunset" and star- no matter whether he gets
ring alongside Lil Nas X and on to be certified platinum by artists and critics alike, chart. awards or recognition.
Sam Elliott in a Super Bowl nine times by the Record- but fans loved it. Weird Al "A hit is a hit. And people "Nobody can erase what
commercial for Doritos. His ing Industry Association Yankovic made a parody don't need a critic to tell 'Achy Breaky Heart' did,"
awards will be on display of America. In the music of it that asked stations to them what they like," Cyrus Cyrus said. "'Old Town
at the Country Music Hall of video, Cyrus swaggers and please stop playing it. Cyrus said. Road' speaks for itself."
Fame and Museum starting dances around stage like was nominated for three Overnight Cyrus went from But now that those gold
in March. Elvis, while fans line dance Grammys, including record playing country music fes- gramophone trophies have
"I've got two or three al- in the crowd. of the year, in 1992. He lost, tivals to performing with finally arrived, he knows ex-
bums in the can and work- "Who'd seen or heard unsurprisingly, to Eric Clap- Lil Nas X at Rolling Loud actly what he's going to do
ing on something new as anything quite like that at ton's "Tears in Heaven," for Festival in Miami, popping with them.
we speak," he said. "The the time?" Tress said. "The record of the year. on stage with Cardi B and "I put one to the left of
door that it really opened chemistry between he and But "Old Town Road," which playing on the BET Awards. my bed and one to the
was the door inside my the song were just undeni- combined Lil Nas X rapping "In the summer of 2019, the right and I named them
mind, the door inside my able." about "bull riding and boo- world needed a song that Sheila and Peggy," Cyrus
soul." In what would be a recur- bies," with a Nine Inch Nails everybody could sing to- said. "And I sleep in the
He broke out in the early '90s rent theme in his life, Cyrus sample and a trap beat, gether," Cyrus said. middle."q
sporting a long brown mul- had to deal with the blow- had much longer legs, due About a month after Cyrus'
let, torn T-shirts that showed back from the immediate to viral memes and the so- remix of "Old Town Road"
off his muscled arms and worldwide success of "Achy cial media platform Tik Tok. came out, he released
basketball sneakers instead Breaky Heart." It would go on to break the "Snake Doctor Circus," an
of cowboy boots. "I was persecuted, be- record for most weeks atop album recorded in Muscle
Don Von Tress, the song- cause back then country the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Shoals, Alabama, with Tress,
writer behind "Achy Breaky claimed me and then got Cyrus would relive the ex- his old friend. Tress said
Heart," didn't meet him mad when pop stations perience of being shunned that Cyrus' success came
until after Cyrus had de- started playing it," he said. again when Billboard de- with baggage, whether it
cided to record the song Like many viral sensations cided that Lil Nas X's song was "Achy Breaky Heart"
for his debut album "Some that become omnipres- wasn't country enough or playing the lovable
Gave All," which would go ent, the song was panned be included on its country dad to Miley on screen.