Billy Ray Cyrus Addresses Daughter Miley Cyrus Dropping Last Name After Healing Family Rift

The "Achy Breaky Heart" hitmaker marked the moment with a nostalgic throwback photo of his two children. His message touched on legacy, healing, and what the Cyrus name has meant to him since long before fame arrived.

Billy Ray Cyrus is responding to his daughter, Miley Cyrus, after she dropped her last name.

The country music star took to Instagram on Wednesday, September 2, sharing a throwback photo of himself with Miley and her brother, Braison, both of whom he shares with ex-wife Tish Cyrus.

"Family means more than ever now. I always called my little girl Miley," Billy began. "Just … Miley. Just like I always called my little boy Braison. Bet you didn't know … I was just CYRUS before Achy Breaky Heart came out in 92."

"All of my swag and T shirts only read. CYRUS SOME GAVE ALL with a picture of a POW MIA flag on it that and the words .. 'You are not forgotten,'" he continued. "I told @miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name."

"I mentioned Dolly [Parton] and Cher. Thinkin about it more and more … Elvis .. Prince …and so on. It's a natural progression for an iconic superstar legend. And the legend continues! Looking forward to the new album," the father of six added.

"Now … if only Mercury / Polygram would have just not insisted on the 'Billy Ray' part and just let me be CYRUS…… I could have done something!!!" he joked. "Ha ha!!! 🤣 All good. 👍🏼 [sic]."

Miley quietly dropped her last name from her social media handles on Monday, August 31, leaving followers puzzled over the reasoning behind the move.

She offered no explanation at the time, instead sharing two red-and-black photos of herself on Instagram, captioning one simply, "MILEY."

Her father's remarks come after his years-long estrangement from his daughter, which began after he and Tish divorced in April 2022.

By May 2025, however, things seemed to be on the mend, with Billy and Miley reuniting to celebrate Braison's 31st birthday. Billy marked the occasion by sharing a photo alongside his children and Miley's fiancé, Maxx Morando.

Shortly afterward, fans noticed that Tish — who also shares daughter Brandi, 39, son Trace, 37, and daughter Noah, 26, in addition to Miley and Braison — had unfollowed Miley on Instagram.

A source told Page Six at the time that the unfollow was simply "a glitch." The "Climb" singer later took to her Instagram Stories to set the record straight.

"I rarely comment on rumors, but my mama and I are too tight for anything to ever come between us," she wrote at the time.

"She's my best friend. Like a lot of moms, she doesn't know how to work her phone and somehow unfollowed me — simple, coincidental and uninteresting."

"My dad and I have had our challenges over the years," Miley continued.

"Now in my 30s, family is my priority above all else. I'm at peace knowing bridges have been built, and time has done a lot of healing. [I'm] grateful for the good health and love that flows through my family."

In September 2025, Miley released "Secrets," which she described at the time as a "peace offering for someone [she] had lost for a time but always loved." She later revealed, "This song is for my dad."