The annual Spectacular Summer Cruise-in and Concert featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
WHERE: Miami Valley Centre Mall, 987 E. Ash St., Piqua
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 2
COST: Free
EVENT INFO: (937) 773-1225 or www.miamivalleycentremall.com
ARTIST INFO: www.billyraycyrus.com
Name: Billy Ray Cyrus
Born: Aug. 25, 1961, in Flatwoods, Ky.
Occupation: Country singer, actor.
Local hook: Cyrus headlines the annual Spectacular Summer Cruise-in and Concert from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 2, at the Miami Valley Centre Mall, 987 E. Ash St., Piqua
Instant smash: “Some Gave All,” Cyrus’ 1992 debut, is one of the biggest selling country albums of all time by a new artist. The album, fueled by the success of hit single “Achy Breaky Heart,” was the first country debut to enter the pop chart at No. 1. It also spent a record-setting 17 consecutive weeks at the top spot of the country album chart.
Trending down: It’s hard to top a multiplatinum debut such as “Some Gave All,” which indeed proved difficult for Cyrus. The follow-up, “It Won’t Be the Last,” went platinum and generated three top 40 country singles but didn’t match the sales of his first album. That trend continued. His third album, “Storm in the Heartland,” only achieved gold status, while his fourth album, “Trail of Tears,” sold less than the 500,000 copies required for gold certification.
Camera ready: Even casual fans know Cyrus costarred on daughter Miley’s hit Disney Channel series “Hannah Montana” from 2006 until the show’s final episode on Jan. 16, 2011. However, many folks don’t realize the singer’s first acting role was a 1995 guest spot on the sitcom “The Nanny,” starring Fran Drescher.
Big screen: In addition to small screen roles, Cyrus has appeared in feature films, such as the 1999 independent film “Radical Jack,” the 2001 David Lynch thriller “Mulholland Drive” and the 2010 Jackie Chan vehicle “The Spy Next Door.”
Early Montana: Costarring with Miley wasn’t his first regular TV gig. From 2001-04, Poppa Cyrus was the star of “Doc,” a PAX Television series about a country doctor from Montana working in Manhattan.
Sticking tough: Cyrus’ album sales continued to fluctuate over the years while his acting career flourished, but he never gave up music. “Southern Rain,” from 2000, was a return to form and spawned five chart hits, while “Time Flies” and “The Other Side,” both from 2003, were Christian albums.
U.S. pride: “I’m American,” Cyrus’ latest album, was released on Tuesday. The collection of patriotic songs includes titles such as “We Fought Hard” and “Stripes and Stars.” This isn’t out of character for Cyrus. An avid supporter of the U.S. armed forces, he has performed for troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and Germany.
Contact contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.
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