Billy Ray Cyrus is home for a Thanksgiving with fans

By RONNA RUBIN
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
It's no real surprise that Thanksgiving time is family time for Billy Ray Cyrus. And now the father of five can be seen in his Nashville kitchen with daughter Brandi and mother Ruth Ann on GAC's "Turkey Day With Billy Ray," on Thursday, Nov. 23, at 11 a.m. and again at 4 p.m., EST/PST.

He shares fans' favorite Thanksgiving traditions and serves up some requested music videos. Brad Paisley's "Little Things" and Carrie Underwood's "Don't Forget To Remember Me" are just two of the fan requests played during the special holiday telecast.

Cyrus will forever be known for his hugely successful debut hit of the early '90s, "Achy, Breaky Heart," a song that sold millions of copies and tagged him as a honky-tonk heart throb. Hits like "Could've Been Me," "In the Heart of A Woman" and "Busy Man" followed.

The 45-year-old has since branched out as a successful television star, spending several seasons as the lead character on the PAX-TV series "Doc," which was shot in Toronto. He also examined his spiritual side, releasing "The Other Side," a gospel collection. "Every bit of my roots, my influences and every bit of who I am is on this record," he said of the project.

"By no means because I put out this record was I proclaiming that I'm this perfect, religious man. I'm not all of a sudden stepping up on a pedestal and saying 'I'm holier than thou,' because I'm not!"

His musical detour was brief as the star recently released "I Wanna Be Your Joe," a country collection that reflects Cyrus' sense of humor and sometimes self-deprecating style. Proof is in "I Want My Mullet Back," a ditty that celebrates a simpler time in his life and a time when he was best known for his bi-level hairstyle.

Special guests George Jones and Loretta Lynn contribute to "Country Music Has the Blues," and daughter Miley contributes lead and backing vocals on "Stand." This is the first time father and daughter have recorded together. The 13-year-old rising star appears as the lead character in "Hannah Montana," a weekly television show that also features Cyrus in the role of her father.

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This week's GACtv.com Country Q & A comes from Marjorie in Wakefield, Mass.:

Q: How can I e-mail Keith Urban to give him and Nicole our love and support?

A: At this point Keith Urban, who is undergoing rehab for alcohol abuse, is getting a lot of support from the industry and his fans. Perhaps the best way for a fan to get a message to him is through his Web site, keithurban.net. There you can become a part of his Monkeyville fan club where you can get special email updates from Keith.

(Ronna Rubin, a 21-year veteran of the music industry, can be contacted at ronna(at)gacmusicbeat.com. Log on to GACtv.com for more information about your favorite artists.)