You’ve definitely seen the face, heard the drawl, and probably had "Achy Breaky Heart" stuck in your head at least once in your life. But when you ask who is miley cyrus father, the answer isn’t just a name on a birth certificate. It’s a complicated, multi-decade saga of country music stardom, Disney Channel fame, and some very public family drama that is still playing out in 2026.
Basically, Miley’s dad is Billy Ray Cyrus.
He was the guy with the most famous mullet in the nineties. He’s the guy who played Robby Ray Stewart on Hannah Montana. He’s the guy who jumped on a remix with Lil Nas X and broke every Billboard record in existence.
But honestly? Being the father of one of the world's biggest pop stars is a full-time job in itself, and it hasn't always been a smooth ride for the Cyrus patriarch.
The Man Behind the Legend: Billy Ray’s Rise to Fame
Before he was "Miley’s dad," Billy Ray was a massive deal in his own right. Born in Flatwoods, Kentucky, in 1961, he didn't just walk into a record deal. He lived in his car for a while. He played the dive bar circuit. He hustled.
Then 1992 happened.
The world met "Achy Breaky Heart." You couldn't go anywhere without seeing people line dancing to it. It was a cultural phenomenon that turned Billy Ray into a household name overnight.
When Miley was born later that same year—originally named Destiny Hope Cyrus—she entered a world where her father was already a titan. People often forget that Miley’s middle name (now legally Ray) and her career trajectory were heavily influenced by Billy Ray’s own experience with the "fame monster."
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A Very Full House
Billy Ray’s family tree is a bit more complex than most people realize. He didn't just have Miley. He has six children in total, and the dynamics are... a lot.
- Christopher Cody: Born just months before Miley to Kristin Luckey. He’s lived a much more private life away from the cameras.
- Brandi and Trace: These are Tish Cyrus’s children from a previous marriage whom Billy Ray adopted.
- Braison and Noah: The younger siblings who, like Miley, have both pursued careers in the arts.
Who is Miley Cyrus father to her today?
This is where things get messy. If you’ve been following the news over the last couple of years, you know the Cyrus family has been through the ringer.
After nearly 30 years of marriage, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus officially called it quits in 2022. That divorce didn't just end a marriage; it seemingly split the family down the middle. For a long time, Miley and her father were inseparable. They worked together on Hannah Montana for years. They sang together. He was her biggest defender.
But then came the 2024 Grammys.
When Miley won Record of the Year for "Flowers," she gave a long list of thank-yous. She thanked her mom. She thanked her godmother, Dolly Parton. She notably did not mention Billy Ray.
Social media went into a tailspin. Was they estranged? Were they fighting?
The 2025-2026 Reconciliation
Actually, things have taken a turn for the better recently. In late 2025, reports started surfacing that the ice was finally melting. Miley shared in an interview with the New York Times that she was starting to see her parents as "individuals" rather than just "parents."
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It’s a big shift. She acknowledged that seeing both her parents find new love—Tish with Dominic Purcell and Billy Ray with his recent partners—helped her realize they deserve to be happy on their own terms.
By early 2026, the two seem to be back on speaking terms. Billy Ray even publicly congratulated Miley on her engagement to Maxx Morando, posting some throwback photos that had fans feeling pretty emotional. It’s not the "perfect" relationship they had during the Disney days, but it’s real. It’s adult.
Why Billy Ray Matters to Miley's Career
You can’t talk about Miley’s talent without talking about the "Cyrus DNA."
Billy Ray didn't just give her a foot in the door; he gave her a blueprint. He taught her about the "business" side of show business. He showed her how to handle a crowd.
There's a specific kind of grit you get from a Kentucky-born country singer that Miley definitely inherited. Even when she was swinging on wrecking balls or sticking her tongue out at the VMAs, that "don't give a damn" attitude was very much a reflection of her father's own rebellious streak in the country world.
He was always the outsider. The guy Nashville didn't always "get." Miley took that outsider energy and turned it into a global empire.
Real Talk: The Impact of the Divorce
Let’s be honest, the rift between Billy Ray and Miley was largely fueled by his quick rebound after the divorce from Tish. He married Australian singer Firerose in 2023, but that marriage ended in a messy divorce only seven months later.
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Miley, being fiercely protective of her mother, reportedly struggled with how quickly things moved. It’s a classic family scenario, just played out with millions of dollars and paparazzi involved.
Sources close to the family say that the drama with Firerose actually helped Miley and Billy Ray reconnect. Once that relationship was over, it cleared the air for them to start talking again without the "new wife" dynamic getting in the way.
Where is Billy Ray now?
As of 2026, Billy Ray is still making music. He’s currently working on a new project with his son Braison, and he’s been spotted looking a lot more relaxed than he did during the height of the family feud. He’s also been seen with Elizabeth Hurley, which was definitely not on anyone’s 2025 bingo card, but hey—that’s the Cyrus life for you.
Summary of the Cyrus Family Dynamic
| Relationship | Current Status (2026) |
|---|---|
| Miley & Billy Ray | Reconciled/Working on it |
| Billy Ray & Tish | Divorced (No contact) |
| Billy Ray & Noah | Very Close (Collaborating) |
| Miley & Tish | Inseparable |
It’s a lot to keep track of. But at the end of the day, when you ask who is miley cyrus father, you’re asking about a man who has lived several different lives. He’s been the one-hit wonder, the TV dad, the comeback king, and the estranged parent.
If you're looking to understand the "Miley" phenomenon, you have to understand the man who started it all. He's a Kentucky boy who never quite fit the mold, raising a daughter who broke the mold entirely.
To keep up with the latest on the Cyrus family, you should:
- Follow their official social media pages for direct updates rather than relying on tabloid rumors.
- Check out Billy Ray's latest collaborations with his other children, Braison and Noah, to see how the family's musical legacy is evolving.
- Revisit the early Hannah Montana episodes to see the genuine chemistry that formed the foundation of their relationship before the fame got complicated.
Actionable Insight: If you’re navigating your own complex family dynamics or a parental divorce, take a page out of Miley’s book: give it time. Relationships change as we age, and sometimes "healing" just means seeing your parents as flawed humans instead of superheroes.