Billy Ray Cyrus is best known as the country singer behind “Achy Breaky Heart” and as the father of pop superstar Miley Cyrus. But long before he became a household name, his musical identity was shaped by the family he grew up in Kentucky.
His parents, Ronald Ray “Ron” Cyrus and Ruth Ann Casto, came from working-class Kentucky roots and raised their family in an environment where music, faith and community were important parts of everyday life.
Ron later became a well-known Kentucky politician, while Ruth Ann devoted much of her life to her family. Their influence continued through Billy Ray and, eventually, the next generation of the Cyrus family.
Who Were His Parents?
Billy Ray was born on August 25, 1961, in Flatwoods, Kentucky, to Ron Cyrus and Ruth Ann Casto.
The family had deep connections to the Appalachian culture of eastern Kentucky. Music was an important part of that environment, with gospel, country and bluegrass traditions surrounding Billy Ray during his childhood.
Although Billy Ray eventually became a country star, his parents did not come from the entertainment industry. His father’s career in steelworking and politics provided a very different foundation from the celebrity world Billy Ray would enter decades later.
Ron Cyrus
Ronald Ray “Ron” Cyrus was born on July 10, 1935, in Greenup County, Kentucky.
He initially worked as a steelworker, but his professional life later moved into politics. As a Democrat, he represented Greenup County in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1975 through 1996.
He also held a leadership position with the Kentucky AFL-CIO, giving him a significant role in the state’s labor movement.
For Billy Ray, however, Ron was more than a politician. He was also one of his earliest musical influences.
The Guitar Lesson
One of the more memorable details about Billy Ray’s childhood involves his father’s guitar.
Billy Ray is left-handed, while his father played guitar right-handed. As a young boy, Billy Ray wanted to play his father’s instrument but found the setup difficult.
That early experience did not stop his interest in music. Instead, it became part of the story behind his eventual journey toward becoming a professional musician.
Billy Ray grew up surrounded by the sounds of gospel and country music, influences that would later become central to his own career.
A Political Father
Ron’s political career made the Cyrus family well known in their Kentucky community long before Billy Ray reached national fame.
He spent more than two decades in the Kentucky House of Representatives and became associated with labor issues and Democratic politics.
His career also demonstrated the importance of public service within the family. Billy Ray eventually chose an entirely different path, but his father’s background gave him a strong connection to Kentucky’s working communities.
Ron died on February 28, 2006, at the age of 70, after battling lung cancer.
Miley’s Tribute
Ron Cyrus remained an important figure in his granddaughter Miley’s life.
After his death, Miley adopted “Ray” as her middle name, changing her name from Destiny Hope Cyrus to Miley Ray Cyrus.
The name was a tribute to her grandfather as well as a continuation of a family name that had special meaning to her father.
Miley has spoken publicly about her affection for Ron, and his memory has remained part of the Cyrus family’s story.
Ruth Ann Casto
Billy Ray’s mother was Ruth Ann Casto, who was born on May 14, 1937.
She married Ron Cyrus in 1952, and the couple had a large family. Their marriage eventually ended in divorce in 1966.
Ruth Ann later remarried and became known as Ruth Ann Adkins.
Unlike her husband, she did not build a major public career. Her importance within the Cyrus family was primarily centered on motherhood and maintaining close relationships with her children and grandchildren.
Her Family Role
Ruth Ann remained an important presence in Billy Ray’s life well into his adulthood.
Billy Ray frequently expressed affection for his mother publicly and referred to her warmly as “Mommie.”
She spent part of her later years in Tennessee, allowing her to remain close to Billy Ray and his family.
Ruth Ann died on August 12, 2022, at the age of 85.
Her death came during a major transitional period in Billy Ray’s personal life, as his nearly three-decade marriage to Tish Cyrus was also coming to an end.
A Large Family
Billy Ray was one of several children born to Ron and Ruth Ann.
His upbringing in eastern Kentucky gave him a strong connection to family and community, values that remained visible throughout his later career.
Although the Cyrus name eventually became associated with Hollywood and international pop culture, its roots are much more modest.
The family’s Kentucky background helps explain the country and gospel influences that became part of Billy Ray’s musical identity.
His Grandfather
The musical and religious influence in the family goes back another generation.
Billy Ray’s paternal grandfather was Eldon Lindsey Cyrus, a Pentecostal preacher in Kentucky.
Faith and gospel music were therefore deeply embedded in the Cyrus family before Billy Ray began performing professionally.
That combination of Appalachian culture, church music and country traditions provided an early foundation for the singer.
The Legacy Continues
The influence of Billy Ray’s parents can be seen across several generations of the family.
Billy Ray turned his childhood musical influences into a successful country career. His daughter Miley later became an internationally recognized singer and songwriter, while other members of the Cyrus family also entered music and entertainment.
Even though Ron and Ruth Ann lived most of their lives far removed from Hollywood celebrity culture, their family legacy eventually reached audiences around the world.
Billy Ray Cyrus’ parents were Ron Cyrus and Ruth Ann Casto, two Kentuckians whose lives followed very different paths.
Ron combined steelworking with a long career in Kentucky politics and helped introduce Billy Ray to music through his guitar and the family’s Appalachian traditions. Ruth Ann focused largely on family and remained a beloved presence in Billy Ray’s life until her death in 2022.
Their story provides an important look at where Billy Ray came from. Before the country hits, Hollywood appearances and famous family name, there was a Kentucky household shaped by music, faith, work and family ties.
