Billy Ray Cyrus Is Not Changing His Name … Yet
Don't call him "Cyrus" just yet. Billy Ray Cyrus is hearing backlash from fans upset that he planned on changing his name from Billy Ray Cyrus to simply Cyrus, so he's offering a compromise.
The "Achy Breaky Heart" singer tells Taste of Country he underestimated how passionate fans would be about his name change plans, even though he was serious when he said he'd legally change it on August 25 (his birthday).
"There's now four versions, and I think over the next few months I'm gonna take a poll," he says. "So I can be Billy Ray or Billy Ray Cyrus, or 'C' Cyrus or 'D, I don't give a s--t.'"
Cyrus, who has re-released "Achy Breaky Heart" to celebrate 25 years, won't go as far as to change his social media handles. In fact, if you still want to call him Billy Ray after he changes to Cyrus (if it happens), you can. He's not taking the whole thing so seriously — his wife and closest friends call him "B.R."
"Who would have thought," he says, smiling, "because for me it just is so natural to go ‘Okay, I’m in the fourth quarter of my career here. I started as Cyrus, I should end as Cyrus. It was just that simple."
In addition to the new, rootsy version of his hit song, Cyrus is releasing a Spanish language version of "Achy Breaky Heart" with the Mexican band Caballo Dorado. He also teased an EDM version with Bootsy Collins. This summer the second season of his CMT show Still the King will air.
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