Billy Ray Cyrus Changing His Name
After August, Billy Ray Cyrus will be a name from the past. The singer is changing his name to a moniker he says he begged his record label to let him use years ago.
As of August 25, he'll simply be Cyrus. That's it. He's a one-name star like Madonna, Cher and Barney.
Cyrus shared the news with Rolling Stone, saying that he used to go solely by his last name, and he once pleaded with Mercury Records Nashville to let him go with just that.
So ... "I'm going to the hospital where I was born in Bellefonte, Ky., and legally changing my name," he says.
Learn the Real Names of Country's Biggest Stars
The list of one-named country artists is slim, with Cam among the few, but many will argue Reba McEntire is a one-name star. In the pop world there's Beyonce, and of course there are other entertainers: Oprah, Roseanne and Gallagher are a few. Not all of the above artists have made the name change birth certificate-official, however, something Billy Ray (hey, we're using it while we still can) seems set on doing.
It remains to be seen if Cyrus will change his socials, as well. The @Cyrus Twitter handle is already being used by a man in Palo Alto, Calif., who'd be wise to hold out for some serious cash before giving that up.
The news comes as the singer prepares to release a new, 25th anniversary edition of "Achy Breaky Heart." Included is a Spanglish interpretation of the song and an EDM version with Bootsy Collins. He's also set to work on a new album and the new season of CMT's Still the King.
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