LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts) On Wednesday, Aug. 20, the award-winning, multi-platinum American singer, songwriter and actor BILLY RAY CYRUS dropped by the House of Blues to perform at "Rock For Ruben," a benefit concert for the renowned industry guitar tech
Ruben Velasco. CYRUS joined friends
Rick Springfield and John 5 (Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson) to lend his support for
Ruben as he undergoes treatment for with Stage IV cancer (photos below). During the show, CYRUS sat in with Jason Charles Miller and performed hits "Wher'm I Gonna Live" and "Some Gave All." The all-star backing band also included Bruce Kulick (Kiss lead guitarist for 12 years), Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, John Fogerty); Gilby Clarke (Guns 'N Roses, Candy),
James Lomenzo (White Lion, Megadeth, John Fogerty) and Elliot Easton (The Cars). To help pay for Ruben's medical expenses, his favorite charity organization, Fur & Feather Animal Sanctuary, is accepting individual donations on his behalf and will channel 100% of your donation directly to Ruben. Donations can be made at: www.youcaring.com/rubenscancerfund.
Next on tap, CYRUS will perform all weekend long at "the Beatles' 50th At The Bowl." It's been 50 years since the
Beatles took Los Angeles by storm with their first concert at the Hollywood Bowl on August 23 1964. Beatlemania returns to the Bowl stage with a re-creation of that iconic performance Friday and Saturday, August 22-23 (8p), as well as Sunday, August 24 (7:30p). CYRUS will join Ringmaster Dave Stewart (co-founder of the Eurythmics),
Michelle Branch (Saturday and Sunday), singer songwriter activist
Mary Lambert (Friday and Sunday),
Martina McBride (Saturday and Sunday), soul singer Allen Stone (all nights), R&B singer Liv Warfield and more. Producer/television personality Bob Eubanks-who brought the Fab Four to the Bowl 50 years ago-will be on hand all three evenings to participate in the festivities.
The concert will begin with the 1964 set list including hits such as "Twist and Shout," "She Loves You," "Can't Buy Me Love," "
I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "Hard Day's Night." The second half of the show features "Blackbird," Strawberry Fields," "Hey Jude," "
All You Need Is Love" and "Eleanor Rigby." The concert also features vintage clips in celebration of the Fab Four's L.A. invasion (www.hollywoodbowl.com).
This summer, BILLY RAY CYRUS celebrated the release of his first-ever retrospective album THE DISTANCE (Mercury/Ume). A collection of hits spanning CYRUS' 22-year career,highlights include "
Stand" (w/Miley Cyrus), "Country
Music Has the Blues" (w/George Jones and Loretta Lynn), "Achy Breaky Heart" and an acoustic version of "Some Gave All." Listen to "The Distance"-the only new song on the album-on Rolling Stone Country HERE. Elsewhere, check out the acoustic version of "Some Gave All" on TasteofCountry.com HERE.
About BILLY RAY CYRUS:
The multi GRAMMY-nominated BILLY RAY CYRUS is an American singer-songwriter-musician and actor who has sold more than 25 million albums internationally; he has also had three No. 1 hit singles. Over the course of 12 studio albums since 1992, Cyrus has earned nearly 30 chart singles, including 15 Top 40 hits. Cyrus has also received major music awards including American
Music Awards, Billboard
Music Awards and Country
Music Association Awards.
Over the last decade, Cyrus has established himself as a successful musician, actor in TV and film, performing in lead roles such as the title character of the PAX-TV series "Doc" and as Robby Ray Stewart, the father of daughter Miley Cyrus' fictional character in the smash Disney Channel series "Hannah Montana." A developer of the hit TV series "Surprise Homecoming" on TLC, Cyrus has multiple TV projects currently in development. In 2013 alone, he released his latest solo album Change My Mind (Blue
Cadillac Music), a best-selling memoirHillbilly
Heart and performedonBroadway in
Chicago in the beloved role of Billy Flynn. NPR noted of his memoir Hillbilly
Heart "There's something very refreshing about Billy Ray Cyrus' new memoir Hillbilly Heart. It's not just that he's candid about being, at many points throughout his life, a headstrong jerk, or, as he puts it, a 'heathen,' an imperfect man."-John Rabe. With the release of multiple singles as well as THE DISTANCE his retrospective album out now as part of Mercury/Ume's ICON series, he shows no signs of slowing down in 2014 and beyond.
