Billy Ray Cyrus (born August 25, 1961 in Flatwoods, Kentucky) is an American country singer, best known for the hit single "Achy Breaky Heart" (1992).

Cyrus originally intended to play baseball professionally. He attended Georgetown College on a baseball scholarship, but quit to form a band called "Sly Dog" with his brother. After moving to Los Angeles alone, Cyrus signed to Mercury Records in 1990. The success of Achy Breaky Heart from the album Some Gave All, helped popularized line dancing and made Cyrus a star.

Cyrus' follow-up, It Won't Be the Last, began strong but sales wound up being disappointing compared to Some Gave All. Storm in the Heartland (1994), Trail of Tears (1996), Shot Full of Love (1998) and Southern Rain (2000) similarly sold only to a diminishing audience.

In 2001, Cyrus began playing the lead role on the PAX Network comedy-drama Doc. In 2004, Blender magazine selected Achy Breaky Heart as the magazine's choice for second worst song ever.

External links and references

• Rolling Stone biography (http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bio.asp?oid=2263&cf=2263)
• Billy Ray Cyrus (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004854/) at the Internet Movie Database