Billy Ray Cyrus to Play the Brown Theatre This Summer

Billy Ray Cyrus is back and better than ever! Come celebrate the 25th anniversary of the smash hit that started it all, "Achy Break Heart," at the Brown Theatre August 4. Cyrus will be joined by special guest, Nashville's rising star, Olivia Lane.

Tickets go on sale Friday, May 19 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at the venue box office, online at kentuckycenter.org, or by calling 502-584-7777.

Throughout the course of nearly three decades, Billy Ray Cyrus has achieved international success as a singer, songwriter, entertainer, and philanthropist. He has sold millions of albums, charted 35 singles, 16 of which are Top 40 hits, and continues to receive critical acclaim as an actor, writer, and executive producer in film and television.

Before music was a priority, Cyrus proved a talent for baseball and attended Georgetown College on an athletic scholarship. Soon, academics and baseball took a backseat to music after he first plucked a six-string. Inspiration called upon Cyrus and his brother to form a country-rock band called Sly Dog. In 1982 they landed a standing gig at an Ironton, Ohio roadhouse which convinced Cyrus to quit school and pursue music professionally. After a fire burned down their home club as well as their gear in 1984, Cyrus dismembered Sly Dog and relocated to Los Angeles in hopes of kick-starting his career. Cyrus' patience wore thin in California and he was led to pursue new opportunities. He landed at the Ragtime Lounge in Huntington, West Virginia where he would play five nights a week, and on his days off, he would make the drive to Nashville to try and score a 'break'.

In time, Cyrus pulled the attention of legendary music manager, Jack McFadden. Shortly after, Cyrus was invited to open for Reba McEntire in Louisville in 1990, where A&R men from Mercury Records were encouraged to attend and give him consideration. After seeing the crowd's reaction to Cyrus' set, they quickly offered him a recording contract. At that very time, Cyrus was quoted in a local newspaper article saying, "This is my Super Bowl," referring to the fact that he was either going to win it or lose it.

Cyrus went on to make history with the debut of his studio album, Some Gave All. The album hit No. 1 on the Billboard album charts, where it held the position for 17 consecutive weeks; a record he still holds as a solo male artist.

Throughout the early 90s, Cyrus had a string of releases off the album that bulleted up the charts, including "Achy Breaky Heart," "Could've Been Me", "Wher'm I Gonna Live", "She's Not Cryin' Anymore" and the title track, "Some Gave All", which earned Cyrus the Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment.

Cyrus has also starred in numerous television and film roles.

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