The Shady Side Of Billy Ray Cyrus

Don't let his achy breaky heart fool you — Billy Ray Cyrus has a shady side. The country music singer is the patriarch of an incredibly famous family of musicians, but the spotlight hasn't always been too kind to the Cyrus clan. Rifts, break-ups, shade-throwing, and the pressure of show business take their toll, and the "Could've Been Me" singer seems to be caught in the middle of a salacious tabloid news cycle that doesn't exactly paint him in the best light. His tumultuous relationship with an Australian singer nearly 30 years his junior doesn't help his case, especially after his divorce from his ex-wife Tish caused a serious divide in his once unified family front.

But instead of doing damage control, Cyrus seems to dig a deeper hole for himself regarding the media. A damning audio recording of the singer and his now ex-wife Firerose released in July of 2024 had many listeners speculating that he could have a darker side, coming to that conclusion after a 2-minute audio clip featured him berating and belittling her (more on that later). But in the wake of the controversy, the singer doesn't seem to be sweating the consequences. It's nothing new for the star, who has been navigating the tabloids ever since his daughter donned a blonde wig and morphed into Hannah Montana.

He might have played an endearing father on Disney Channel, but the country star's reputation isn't as sterling over a decade later. We're breaking down the shady side of Billy Ray Cyrus.

The year was 1992, and Travis Tritt and fellow country music star Billy Ray Cyrus were two-stepping all over each other. Tritt was coming off the release of his third studio album, "T-R-O-U-B-L-E," while newcomer Cyrus had just released his debut album, "Some Gave All."

The "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" singer wasn't a fast fan of the up-and-coming Kentucky native, and he made his feelings known when discussing Cyrus' smash hit "Achy Breaky Heart" in the media. According to The Boot, Tritt made waves when he called the track "frivolous," adding that it "doesn't really make much of a statement." He also attacked the singer's music video for the song, accusing him of making the country genre an "a** wiggling contest." 

Tritt ultimately owned up to his comments, but the damage was done. When Cyrus took home the victory at the American Music Awards for Favorite Country Single the following year, he made sure to give a shout-out to his nemesis. "To those people who don't like 'Achy Breaky Heart,' here's a quarter; call someone who cares!" he said during his speech (via The Boot), referring to Tritt's 1991 track "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares).

This beef came to rest eventually after the two performed together during the memorial for Waylon Jennings in 2002. Tritt admitted years later that he regretted starting a feud, saying (per Taste of Country). "You just don't say anything negative about anybody. Period."

Billy Ray Cyrus came under some serious social media fire in 2013 after Miley made some shocking statements about him on X. At the time, Billy Ray and Tish's relationship was under intense scrutiny after the latter filed for divorce only to be seen dining with her on-again-off-again husband just weeks later. The "Wrecking Ball" singer tweeted at her father at the time, writing (per Celebitchy), "Since you won't reply to my texts I'm giving you an hour to tell the truth or I'll tell it for you," alongside a photo of her with Billy Ray's then-Broadway co-star Dylis Croman.

Many viewers took the tweet to be serious shade, with Miley potentially implying that her father was allegedly cheating on Tish with Croman. It certainly connected the dots for many fans who assumed that was the reason she went from 0 to 100. Though she later deleted the tweet, it left plenty of room for interpretation. However, the jury is still out on whether there was any truth to Billy Ray and Croman's alleged affair. As of the time of writing, that rumor has never been confirmed nor denied.

Billy Ray Cyrus made quite a controversial statement in 2019 when he posted a photo of his then-wife posing next to several bags of what looks to be marijuana. The country singer uploaded the photo to X (via the Daily Mail) alongside the caption, "Yes! Like I said yesterday @TishCyrus ... My how the times are changing #CrAzYMaMa." Though he later deleted it, it caused a firestorm of negative comments. "No wonder why your children are so stupid to take drugs, because you are a stupid role model," wrote one user (per Yahoo! Entertainment).

Tish was quick to defend herself against the haters, however. "First of all ... my husband @billyraycyrus is INSANE," she wrote in a since-removed post (via Yahoo! Entertainment). "Second, this picture is also insane, and third this is NOT my weed or my house. Hahah. But if it was, that would be amazing for so many reasons!"

It wouldn't be the first time the "Achy Breaky Heart" star would be promoting the marijuana business. Billy Ray joined forces with Lowell Herb Co. in 2020 to launch his limited edition "Midnight Special" pre-rolls, developed by the country star himself. According to Miley, her parents liked to get high together in their off time. She admitted so on "The Tonight Show" in 2018, telling Jimmy Fallon, "I'll call [Tish] on the phone ... I'm like, 'I know there is a doobie on your lap, just show me,' and she's like, 'Ok, I gotta go smoke this with your dad.'"

Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus have had a tumultuous relationship through the years. The singer first filed for divorce from his wife in 2010, around the same time rumors speculated that Tish allegedly had an affair with Bret Michaels (though he later refuted those accusations). The parents eventually called off the filing in 2011, however, deciding to work through their differences. "I've dropped the divorce," he said on "The View" at the time (via People). "I want to put my family back together. Things are the best they've ever been."

That didn't last long, as when 2013 rolled around, it was Tish who filed for divorce. The spouses released similar statements at the time, calling it a personal matter and asking fans to respect their privacy. Just a month later, however, the divorce was called off yet again, and the spouses were posing together on social media that summer. "We both woke up and realized we love each other and decided we want to stay together," the couple shared in a statement (via People), adding that they worked on their marriage in couple's therapy.

But nearly 10 years later, Tish and Billy Ray called it quits for good. The parents announced their divorce for a third and final time in 2022, with Tish filing the papers due to "irreconcilable differences." She ultimately moved on to "Prison Break" star Dominic Purcell, while Billy Ray began an on-again-off-again relationship with Firerose.

Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus went from family to strangers — at least in terms of social media — when the duo first unfollowed each other in 2022. As reported by Perez Hilton, it appeared that the "Miss You So Much" singer hit the button first, followed by Daddy Dearest. At the time, the "Words by Heart" singer had started a controversial relationship with Firerose just months after his ex-wife filed for divorce.

However, The Sun later reported that it may not have been Billy Ray who was responsible for unfollowing his daughter on social media. Sources claimed that Firerose was the one behind blocking Miley in an effort to "isolate" him from his loved ones. Despite speculation, the insider revealed that Billy and his daughter were not feuding. "The truth is that Firerose kept him from communicating with his family, and she took over his social media and unfollowed people that he was following like his daughters, Lil Nas X, and so many other people in his life," the source claimed in 2024.

While the insider shared that Miley and her father's alleged beef was exaggerated in the media, it doesn't change the fact that she still hasn't followed him back since the reports first surfaced in 2022.

Miley Cyrus made a major snub while accepting her Grammy for Record of the Year in 2024, and it didn't go unnoticed by her millions of fans. After winning with her hit record "Flowers," the "We Can't Stop" star thanked several people close to her — but Billy Ray was not one of them. 

The singer gave her thanks (via Entertainment Tonight) to "Everyone that's standing on this stage right now — Tom, Tyler, Michael, and Greg." She added, "Our teams, my team, Crush, Columbia, my mommy, my sister, my love, my main gays because look how good I look." Viewers immediately picked up on her leaving out Daddy Dearest, leading to speculation that there was indeed a rift between the two. 

The strange family antics seemingly stem from Tish and Bily Ray's divorce, with reports claiming that Miley has been closer to her mother throughout the split. "The divorce between her parents have put a strain on her relationship with her dad and it's been hard to connect with him in the last year," a source told E! News in 2022. "She hopes they can eventually work on their relationship." That, however, didn't seem to happen, especially since Miley showed up for her mother's wedding to Dominic Purcell but reportedly decided to skip out on Billy's nuptials to Firerose.

Billy Ray Cyrus and Firerose have had a turbulent relationship since they started dating in 2022. The couple first met in 2021 through music, started collaborating on songs together, and formed a close bond. The singers' bond eventually turned romantic amid Cyrus's divorce from Tish, and they got engaged just months after his ex-wife filed for divorce. In October of 2023, Firerose and Billy Ray married, but several of the latter's family were absent from the ceremony, except for his youngest daughter, Noah, who has long since had a close relationship with her father.

Firerose and Billy Ray's whirlwind of a union didn't last long. The artists were married just seven short months before Billy Ray filed for divorce and an annulment in June of 2024, accusing his former wife of fraud. According to the court filings, Billy Ray claims he was "verbally and emotionally [abused] by the Defendant, but also PHYSICALLY abused by Defendant" (per Today). Firerose fired back with similar accusations, claiming she was "subjected to [Cyrus'] persistent drug use accompanied with the consumption of marijuana, which made [him] unpredictable and volatile." 

Billy Ray filed for a temporary restraining order against Firerose, also alleging she spent nearly $100,000 in unauthorized charges on his credit card. An attorney for Firerose denied those accusations, however, stating (per Entertainment Tonight), "Throughout the divorce proceedings, the parties are to live as per the status quo during the marriage."

Miley Cyrus admits she's not perfect, thanks to some less-than-desirable qualities she inherited from her dear ole' dad. During an episode of "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction" with David Letterman, she got candid about what it was like to follow in Billy Ray's footsteps in the music industry.

Despite his fame, Miley admitted that her father always kept a level head about him. "He has a relationship and a foot on the ground to the real and to nature and he always did, even when he was super famous," she told Letterman (via People). "I'm grateful for being able to watch him ahead of me. He's almost given me this map. And there's a map of what to do and what not to do, and he's guided me on both."

But every upside has its downside, and the "Malibu" singer revealed that she's similar to her father in his less appealing qualities as well. "I also inherited the narcissism from my father," she mentioned. Despite her comments, Miley is grateful to Billy Ray for helping mold her into who she is today. "[My dad] has always made me feel safer in my own mind because we're very similar in our ideas," she admitted. Still, the "Bangerz" star shared that it's Tish who can take credit for most of the work. "So I think a lot of his perspective on reality and on life, I've inherited from him, more so than the way that I was raised — which really, my mom raised me," she added.

Billy Ray had the internet shaken up in July of 2024 when a leaked audio recording between him and Firerose surfaced online. The Daily Mail was the first to break the story, releasing the audio clip in which the country singer curses and shouts at his former wife for reportedly making him late to a show. 

"I don't know who the f*** you think you are, but you will not listen ... this ain't about nothing this is about you being a selfish f***ing b****," he says in the clip. He also attacked her character, adding, "I don't think you're real smart, I've changed my mind on that s***." Firerose can be heard pleading with him to lower his voice to no avail while he continues his tirade.

But it's not only Firerose he attacked. The publication also obtained separate recordings and text messages in which the country star calls out Tish and Miley. "Everyone knows that devil's a skank," he said about the "Party in the U.S.A." singer. In text exchanges with his publicist Scott Adkins, Billy Ray also called Tish "a liar ... a w**** ... and a cheat."

Billy Ray responded to the controversy on his Instagram Story (via Billboard), writing, "Hell yeah, I was at my wit's end. As every day went by, I started realizing something was wrong. And that's before I knew she was a fraud," referring to Firerose. "She was trying to take over my career, my life, and usurp the Cyrus name for her own gain. See you in court," he warned.