Billy Ray Cyrus’ Broadway Gig Is ‘Icing on the Cake’

Billy Ray Cyrus has made the move to Chicago ... New York City's "Chicago," that is, as he continues his run as Billy Flynn in the iconic Broadway musical. This new entry on his long resume comes as the Kentucky native celebrates 20 years of entertainment success. Billy Ray scaled the charts in 1992 with the multi-platinum-selling album Some Gave All, which featured the hugely popular hit, "Achy Breaky Heart." He went on to sell millions of albums and also parlayed his fame into acting, appearing first in the TV series, "Doc," followed by the Disney phenomenon, "Hannah Montana" (which made his daughter, Miley Cyrus, a household name, as well).

The dad of six says his new role in "Chicago" came at the perfect time. "I signed up and I thought, 'This will be my celebration of my 20-year anniversary of the album coming out, and the icing on the cake is the Broadway run,'" he tells Nashville's Tennessean. This week (Friday, Nov. 23) also marks Miley's 20th birthday, and the family gathered in the Big Apple for an early celebration. (The photo above shows Billy Ray, wife Tish and kids Noah, Miley, Brandi and Braison, along with several members of the "Chicago" cast.)

While the Cyrus family's ups and downs have been well-documented in the press, Billy Ray believes it's best not to dwell on the downs for too long.

"If you get knocked down and you lay in the road, you better get up or someone is going to run over you," he says. "Somehow I got really good at getting back up, because really there was no other option for me. I wish my life had been smooth and everyone showered me with praise and put me on a pedestal and handed me accolades, but that wasn't my life. My life was the unpaved highway."

In addition to "Chicago," Billy Ray is also working on his autobiography, "Hillbilly Heart," which will include a personal note he received from the Man in Black, comparing him to Elvis Presley, which he says has served as inspiration for his entire career.

"OK, Johnny Cash is in my corner, so everything else from there has to go in perspective," he notes. "On the next page, I put a verse from Psalms, 'The truth will be your shield and your buckler.' That's what this book is, just the solid truth about my life starting on Aug. 25, 1961, to now."

Billy Ray will also embark on a world tour in 2013. Tickets for his Broadway show, "Chicago," are on sale now and available here.