Originally appeared on E! Online
Billy Ray Cyrus is remembering when Miley Cyrus used to be young.
The "Achy Breaky Heart" singer took a stroll down memory lane when he shared a throwback picture of him and Miley, reminiscing on the moment it was taken.
"One of my best memories ever: @cma Fest, back when it was Fan Fair," he began his June 7 post, which featured a framed photo of him holding a young Miley, over two handwritten pages. "That's @mileycyrus and me, surrounded by thousands of incredible fans at the fairgrounds. The next day, someone handed me this picture, and I wrote that poem right then on the bus."
In addition to looking back on the moment, Ray Cyrus also celebrated her current successes.
"I'm incredibly proud of her," he continued. "She's a survivor and a true artist. She learned early on to love and appreciate the fans who make everything possible. We both cherish the connection we have with our fans and are grateful for every single one of you!"
The 62-year-old's poignant post comes amid an alleged ongoing rift in the Cyrus family. In the two years since his divorce from ex-wife Trish Cyrus after almost 30 years of marriage, his relationship with Miley has appeared to grow estranged.
Photos: 30 Fascinating Facts About Miley Cyrus
In fact, the father-daughter relationship in recent years has been a far cry from their closeness as costars on "Hannah Montana," according to a source close to Miley.
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"The divorce between her parents have put a strain on her relationship with her dad and it's been hard to connect with him in the last year," an insider told E! News in 2022, adding that Miley "has been closer to her mom Tish" and "doesn't have a relationship" with Billy Ray's new wife Firerose, whom he wed in 2023.
And when the "Flowers" singer won her first Grammy awards earlier this year for the chart-topping track, he was notably absent from her speech.
After thanking Tish Cyrus—who has since found love with Dominic Purcell—sister Brandi Cyrus and boyfriend Maxx Morando, who were all in the audience, Miley finished her speech with, "Thank you all so much. I don't think I forgot anyone, but I might've forgotten underwear. Bye!"
Then, when the 31-year-old shared an additional post-Grammys message of gratitude to social media, Ray Cyrus—who also shares kids with Trace Cyrus, 34, and Braison Cyrus, 29, and Noah Cyrus, 24—once again went without a mention.
"To my mommy @tishcyruspurcell I love you more than anything in the entire universe," Miley wrote, "my family, @brandicyrus thank you for being there like always, my godmother @dollyparton - I felt your fairy dust everywhere."
