Billy Ray Cyrus has spent the last few years battling heartbreak, family struggles, divorce, and a terrifying health scare that nearly took his life. Now, the country star says his new album, The Hill, isn’t just another record. It’s his second chance.
In a candid new interview, Cyrus opened up about the painful period that inspired the project, revealing that after his divorce from Tish Cyrus, a brief marriage to Firerose, and years of family tension, he found himself at what he calls the “lowest point” of his life. At the same time, he was hospitalized with a severe case of sepsis that left him with vocal paralysis and fearing he’d never sing again.
“It was my worst nightmare,” Cyrus admitted.
Doctors warned him to get his affairs in order as his condition worsened. His body became severely swollen, and his voice, the instrument that built his career, suddenly stopped working. At one point, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever return to music.
But somewhere in the darkness, he found hope.
Cyrus says his daughter Noah’s song Don’t Put It All On Me became a lifeline during his recovery. He listened to it constantly, describing it as the song that “saved” him emotionally. Another pivotal moment came when his young grandson Bear, who had barely spoken to him before, suddenly looked at him and said:
“Try again.”
Those two words changed everything.
That message became the heartbeat of The Hill.
Named after a hill on his Tennessee property where he spends time reflecting and praying, the album marks Billy Ray’s first original studio album in more than 14 years. Produced by his son Braison Cyrus, the project is deeply personal, filled with songs about faith, family, loss, redemption, and learning how to begin again.
And perhaps most importantly, it arrives at a moment when Cyrus says his fractured family is finally healing.
In recent months, he has reunited publicly with daughter Noah and hinted at improving relationships with other family members, including Miley Cyrus. The singer recently appeared alongside Miley in the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, a full-circle moment after years of rumored estrangement.
Today, Billy Ray says he’s happier than he’s been in years.
He’s making music again.
He’s found love again.
And after nearly losing everything, he’s finally learning what his grandson meant all along.
Try again.
For Billy Ray Cyrus, The Hill isn’t just an album.
It’s proof that even after your darkest chapter, a new story can still begin.
