Billy Ray Cyrus aims to revive the mullet

**lovely bones** · June 7th, 2006, 08:50 PM

NASHVILLE (AP) — Billy Ray Cyrus wants his mullet back.

On his upcoming album, the country singer whose 1990s 'do resembled an oversized coon skin cap sings, "Bellbottoms were really cool, cuttin' class and skippin' school ... Only one thing that I miss more than that, I want my mullet back."

Cyrus, 44, will perform Saturday — sans mullet — as part of the four-day CMA Music Festival. It will be his 14th straight appearance at the festival, which opens Thursday and draws tens of thousands of country music fans.

"To see people dance is the greatest gift you can ask for. I cherish those moments of being with the fans," said Cyrus, who spoke to The Associated Press by phone from the Los Angeles set of Hannah Montana, the Disney Channel hit series in which he appears with his 13-year-old daughter, Miley, the title character.

The show's popularity has raised Cyrus' exposure. For the first time in a while, the singer will perform on the main stage with top acts such as Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Martina McBride and Brad Paisley. His daughter is expected to attend with him.

Cyrus shot to fame in 1992 with Achy Breaky Heart, the catchy novelty hit that sparked a line-dancing craze and made Cyrus and his mullet the toast of Nashville.

The Flatwoods, Ky., native followed it with a respectable run of hits, five of which reached the top 10, the last being 1998's Busy Man.

He also expanded into acting, including a small part in David Lynch's dark film Mulholland Drive and a starring role as Dr. Clint Cassidy on the TV series Doc.

But he never came close to matching the success of his signature song, and for that he is often lumped into the One-Hit Wonder category.

It's a tag Cyrus doesn't like.

"Anybody who would make that statement is probably very narrow-minded and probably never researched the rest of the music I've ever made," he said. "I feel very fortunate to have recorded and been able to sing and have a record like Achy Breaky Heart. Some people look their whole life for a song that can be a worldwide smash."

Given the choice, Cyrus would rather discuss his new album, Wanna Be Your Joe, due out July 18, or the Disney show. The album includes a duet with Loretta Lynn and George Jones called Country Music has the Blues, and a tribute to late Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant called The Freebird Fell which features former Skynyrd members Ed King and Artimus Pyle. Cyrus wrote or co-wrote all 12 tracks.

The new TV show is already a hit. Hannah Montana scored the highest debut ratings of any Disney Channel series when it arrived in March and remains one of the more popular children's shows on cable television.

In the series, Hannah Montana (Miley) is a teen who moved from Tennessee to Malibu, Calif., where she lives a secret life as a pop star overseen by her father-manager (Cyrus).

Cyrus said he was searching for something different from the role he played on Doc, but never dreamed he'd be in a Disney comedy opposite his daughter.

"Like everything in life, sometimes you have to turn the page and open up a new door," he said.

From USA Today

**luvmy2cats** · June 7th, 2006, 08:56 PM

I know this is a dumb question (especially since I live in the south), but what is a mullet?

**lovely bones** · June 7th, 2006, 08:58 PM

It's a "hair-style" - I'll post you a few examples...hee hee

**moomies** · June 7th, 2006, 08:59 PM

I have a neo-mullet!

Mullet is like the hockey player hairdo

Short on the side and long in the back.

**Alphachimp** · June 7th, 2006, 09:05 PM

Or as my friend says of mullets - 'business in the front and party in the back'...

**darksithbunny** · June 7th, 2006, 09:12 PM

My kids love his daughter's show. I just realised today that he is the dad on the show. His hair looks ok.

**sweetness** · June 7th, 2006, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by darksithbunny

My kids love his daughter's show. I just realised today that he is the dad on the show. His hair looks ok.

Oh, what show is it? I think he's good looking, but his hair in that photo isn't much better than his old mullet. Those bangs do nothing for him. He should either go short all over, or long & all one length imo.

He's trying to look all *trendy* right now and it looks ridiculous. Needs a new stylist.

**Midnight** · June 7th, 2006, 09:52 PM

Haha, he needs to thank hi pre-teen daughter for (somewhat) reviving his career

.

**MysticWitch** · June 7th, 2006, 10:12 PM

He can have his mullet back. I just hope he goes into hiding. No one wants to see that. The mullet has got to be the most awful hair style. Its almost INSULTING to wear it because its sterotyping trailer park lezbians.

**ultrafabviolet** · June 7th, 2006, 10:26 PM

All I want to know are (1) the compressions to breaths ratio and (2) the rate of speed.

Vi

You give me that much, and I'll do my best to bring his stupid dead fish back to life. I am, after all, practically a certified licensed professional.

We are talking about the red mullet, yes?.

Vi

**darksithbunny** · June 8th, 2006, 06:35 AM

Originally Posted by sweetness

Oh, what show is it? I think he's good looking, but his hair in that photo isn't much better than his old mullet. Those bangs do nothing for him. He should either go short all over, or long & all one length imo.

He's trying to look all *trendy* right now and it looks ridiculous. Needs a new stylist.

Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel.
She plays your average kid during the day but then she is a rockstar at night. No one knows except her family and her best friend. The show is actually not that bad.