The Doc is in the house

Jennifer K Mahal

When Billy Ray Cyrus sings what he considers to be his signature song,

the emotion almost overwhelms him. No, it’s not “Achy Breaky Heart” that

brings this reaction, even though that’s the song that put him on the

country map. Instead it’s a ditty named “Some Gave All,” which Cyrus

wrote as a tribute to Vietnam veterans.

“I looked out at the crowd last night and got cold chills at how many

people holding up Bic lighters during ‘Some Gave All,”’ he said. “ It

really has a connection.”

Cyrus, who will perform at 8 p.m. Sunday at the Orange County Fair,

said his choice might surprise a lot of people. He isn’t tired of singing

“Achy Breaky,” a song that spun off a dance craze and ended up making it

onto the Songs of the Century list from the Recording Industry Assn. of

America.

But, “ ‘Some Gave All’ is a cornerstone of my career,” he said.

At the moment, the Flatwoods, Ky., native’s career is booming. The

multitalented father of six stars in Pax Television’s top-rated Sunday

night series, “Doc.” His album “Southern Rain” has been doing well since

its release in October. And he is in the middle of an intensive summer

tour that will take him across the country and back again.

Add to that the new recording he is working on -- a CD that will

include the title song from “Doc,” “Stand Still” -- and you have one very

busy man.

“It’s hard,” he said, when asked how he manages to balance the

television show with his recording career. “It just takes a whole lot of

time and effort.”

The worst part of touring, Cyrus said, is simply keeping up with the

pace of it all. A pace that finds him trying to rest his voice in

between answering journalists’ questions.

And the best part of touring?

“For me, being out with fans, that’s what it’s all about. Being out

with the fans and making music live. That’s the fun part,” said the man

who will turn 40 next month.

Cyrus’s fans started calling the Orange County Fair to see about

tickets even before his concert was officially announced, said Steve

Beazley, deputy general manager of the fair.

“Especially before the tickets went on sale in June,” Beazley said.

“We started selling at 9 a.m. that morning, and at 6:30 a.m. the first 10

people in line were for Billy Ray Cyrus.”

The line included four women who said they planned to follow Cyrus on

tour this summer, he said.

“He’s been one of those pleasant surprises, because we didn’t know how

he would sell,” Beazley added.

Cyrus, one of six children born into a preaching family, has been

selling a song since an early age when he joined his family’s gospel

group. His early career had starts and stops -- an L.A. band he fronted

name Sly Dog broke up in the ‘80s when its equipment was lost in a fire,

and for a while he worked as a car salesman -- before he made it big in

1992 with “Achy Breaky Heart.”

“I knew I loved [‘Achy Breaky’], and I knew that people -- it made

people dance and feel good when we played it, and I just loved it,” Cyrus

said.

His song “We the People” was picked up as George W. Bush’s campaign

song. He performed the song at a country star-studded Al Gore

fund-raiser, but said he was “honored” that President Bush chose to use

his song.

“I’m glad that he sent me a letter just last month to invite me to

stop by and personally thank me for use of the song,” Cyrus said, “and

I’m going to take him up on that offer.”

The singer, who is planning a trip to Vietnam with a group of veterans

and political officials to try to find more information about POWs and

MIAs, said having the president on his side would be a bonus. The

experience of writing “Some Gave All” has gotten Cyrus involved in trying

to help solve some of the mysteries of the Vietnam War.

“We feel like if we can just bring back one answer for one family

that’s been unanswered -- we could add some purpose to our lives,” he

said.

FYI

WHAT: Billy Ray Cyrus

WHERE: Orange County Fair’s Arlington Theater, 88 Fair Drive, Costa

Mesa

COST: Free with fair admission, which is $7. Reserved seats are

available for $10.

CALL: (714) 708-1928