Billy Ray Cyrus continues shattering records and racking up accolades as the Flatwoods, Kentucky singer/songwriter and global music icon wins the Country Music Association‘s Musical Event of the Year with Lil Nas X for “Old Town Road (Billy Ray Cyrus remix),” a song eliminated on country charts by Billboard critics for not “embracing enough elements of today’s country music.”
Photographer: LOWFIELD
This is all on the on the heels of the song being certified diamond by the RIAA as Cyrus leads the pack for nominations as a country artist in the 2019 American Music Awards, yet none of the nods are in country categories. Cyrus is nominated in the all-genre Collaboration of the Year category, as well as Favorite Music Video, Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Song and Favorite Pop/Rock Song.
Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus Photographer: Derrek Kupish / dkupish productions
The CMA win follows a record-breaking year for Cyrus after he took home two MTV VMA Moonmen for Song of the Year and Best Direction, as well as two trophies at the BET Hip Hop Awards for Best Collab, Duo or Group and Single of the Year. The 2019 American Music Awards air November 24 on ABC.
The all-genre field is no stranger to Cyrus. In 1992, his first album, Some Gave All, debuted on the all-genre Billboard 200 album chart at No. 1 and stayed there for a record-breaking 17 weeks.
Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus Photographer: Derrek Kupish / dkupish productions
Not only is “Old Town Road (Billy Ray Cyrus remix)” the first song of 2019 to gain the diamond recognition, it is the first in the RIAA’s history to meet the minimum requirement of 10,000,000 units sold so quickly.
About Billy Ray Cyrus:
Billy Ray Cyrus became a household name over the course of his unprecedented career which spans across music, television and theater. Throughout his nearly three decade career, Cyrus has achieved worldwide success as a singer, songwriter, actor and producer. The Flatwoods, KY native exploded onto the music scene when his first album, Some Gave All, debuted on the all-genre Billboard album chart at No. 1 and stayed there for a record-breaking 17 weeks in 1992. The lead single, “Achy Breaky Heart,” became a phenomenon as the single went multi-platinum. After “Achy Breaky Heart,” Cyrus followed up with back to back hits “It Could’ve Been Me,” “She’s Not Crying Anymore,” “Wher’m I Gonna Live When I Get Home?” and the anthemic “Some Gave All.” Cyrus knocked himself out of the top Billboard position with the his second No. 1 album, It Won’t Be The Last, featuring smash hits “In the Heart of a Woman,” “Words By Heart” and “Somebody New.” Cyrus followed up with dozens more that defined country music. “To me, my most defining moment in country was being joined by George Jones and Loretta Lynn on my self-penned ‘Country Music Has the Blues,’” said Cyrus. He also enjoyed a successful career as an actor in “Doc” and “Still The King,” as well as the Disney series “Hannah Montana” with his daughter Miley. Recently, Cyrus has shattered records with Lil Nas X with the global smash, “Old Town Road,” which remained No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 consecutive weeks.
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