NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Multi-hyphenate global entertainer Billy Ray Cyrus invited his son Braison Cyrus to join him at the Grand Ole Opry for powerful performances of “Storm in the Heartland” and “Trail of Tears” this past weekend.
During the evening, renowned bluegrass artist Eddie Sanders, known for his soulful vocals and rich songwriting, and acclaimed banjo virtuoso Scott Vestal, celebrated for his innovative playing style, concluded the night with a standing ovation on their new song “Born to Fly.”
Billy Ray Cyrus is featured with Eddie Sanders on the patriotic “Born to Fly,” available exclusively on YouTube HERE until wide release this July.
“It was an honor performing with my dad at such a legendary venue. I love hanging out with my dad, riding dirt bikes and going on walks, but every now and again it’s great to hop on stage with him and do what we are both most passionate about and best at, which is playing music. Playing on the Opry stage is surreal, especially getting to do it with my dad,” Braison Cyrus shared.
“Talk about a full circle moment. Literally standing in the sacred Circle with my son Braison Chance Cyrus by my side. I have never been more proud. We went back 30 years with the band. Eddie Bayers played the drums on the record that came out in ’94, ‘Storm In The Heartland.’ Eddie tragically lost his son in a motorcycle accident while we were making all that music. The fact that we opened with ‘Storm In The Heartland,’ and there I stood with my son, was a full circle moment. I felt Eddie’s boy was in the band, in the Circle too. Along with my dear friend, the man who may have changed my life more than anyone besides my own father, Joe Scaife, the legendary producer who first played me a cassette tape of a demo called ‘Don’t Tell My Heart.’ He went to rock ‘n’ roll heaven last month. Joe produced ‘Storm In The Heartland.’ They were all there. All the legends! It was also the first time I ever had Porter Wagoner’s dressing room. Porter was the first to really become my true friend from the Opry. Porter gave me the idea to wear those pants I had on. I made him a sparkly fishing vest and we traded on television. He said, ‘Son, look at Dolly, she never leaves the house without looking like a star.’ Ha ha! True story,” Billy Ray Cyrus said.
Cyrus’ most recent single, “You Came Along,” is a heartfelt and honest expression of his life and soul, free from rules and limitations. To stream and download “You Came Along,” click HERE.
Written and produced by Billy Ray Cyrus, Sean Kelly and Burleigh Clyde Johnson, “You Came Along” describes a true representation of Cyrus’ journey, inspired by a “no box” mindset, resonating with his commitment to authenticity and emotional openness in his music.
ABOUT BILLY RAY CYRUS:
Two-time GRAMMY® winner Billy Ray Cyrus is a critically and commercially acclaimed superstar who has established himself as a household name across all areas of the entertainment landscape, including music, movies, television, theater and more. A passionate philanthropist, he dedicates his time and talent giving back to U.S. service members, veterans and first responders. Billy Ray Cyrus holds the worldwide record for the longest Hot 100 No. 1 best-selling RIAA® 14x Diamond-certified song of all-time as an artist and songwriter for “Old Town Road” with Lil Nas X. He exploded onto the music scene when his first album, Some Gave All, debuted on the all-genre Billboard 200 album chart at No. 1 and stayed there for a record-breaking 17 weeks in 1992. The lead single, “Achy Breaky Heart,” became a phenomenon and went multi-platinum, also becoming the first ever song to achieve triple platinum status in Australia. After “Achy Breaky Heart,” he followed up with back-to-back hits “It Could’ve Been Me,” “She’s Not Crying Anymore,” “Some Gave All,” and many more. Billy Ray Cyrus knocked himself out of the top Billboard position with his second No. 1 album, It Won’t Be The Last, featuring smash hits “In the Heart of a Woman,” “Words By Heart” and “Somebody New.” In addition to his GRAMMY® Awards, his accolades include Billboard Music Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, MTV VMA Moonmen, Country Music Association Awards, American Music Awards and Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Juno Awards, among many more.
