Friday Photo Flashback

I always enjoy a good “writing prompt” and have used them on occasion to write when I struggle for an idea. With the features I have going now, I tend to overlook them. I suppose I should jot down the good ones and save them for later.

One of the bloggers I follow recently answered a prompt that was about a celebrity crush or something to that effect and wrote about Billy Ray Cyrus. I had mentioned that I had the opportunity to meet him and that I would try to find the photo of us. I didn’t have to look far, as it was in a small photo album that I would take with me when I did Career Day presentations at the local high schools.

Billy Ray shot onto the scene with his song “Achy Breaky Heart” and while it was a monster hit, there were plenty of radio people who thought he was going to be a one hit wonder artist. Many just couldn’t take him seriously after that song, which is a shame, because he really was more than that one song. Could’ve Been Me, Some Gave All, Busy Man, and Ready Set Don’t Go are just a few that prove that.

I’m sure that there are plenty of songs that, if they had gotten airplay, could have been hits. However, many radio programmers had written him off as “done.”

I don’t recall what year Billy Ray played our county fair, but it had to be around 1997-1999. I know this because in the photo I am wearing glasses. I had Lasik in late 1999 or 2000, so that helps to get an approximate date.

The meet and greet was prior to the show and I have to tell you, Billy couldn’t have been a nicer guy. He was gracious and attentive to our listeners, he signed as many things as they had brought back for him and posed for countless photos. The station staff was last to see him before he got ready to hit the stage.

I remember him signing our auction items, photos and laughing with all of us. Before I walked away, he gave me his road manager’s (or manager’s) card and number and said, “Keith, you just call if there’s ever anything I can do for you or the station.” A week or so later, a card arrived in the mail at the station that said something like, “Thanks for a great time at the fair! God Bless, Billy Ray Cyrus.”

Despite his status as a well known country singer, he was about as down to earth and humble as they come.