Before His Relationship with Miley Cyrus’ Mom, Billy Ray Cyrus Had Another Whirlwind Marriage During Which His Jealous Fan Literally Set His Then Wife on Fire
Billy Ray Cyrus, father of pop icon Miley Cyrus, is one of the most famous country singers of his time. He was famously married to Leticia ‘Tish’ Finley for nearly three decades before they separated. However, this was not the Achy Breaky Heart singer’s first marriage.
During the early stages of his career, Cyrus had a whirlwind marriage with Cindy Smith, a sales representative. However, the singer’s rising star and s*x-symbol status made the tenure of marriage short. Smith became the target of her female fans, who saw her as a threat, so much so that one jealous fan even set her hair on fire.
A Fan Burned Billy Ray Cyrus’s First Wife’s Hair Out of Jealousy
As far as show business is concerned, there are some pretty wild stories that surface on the internet from time to time. For instance, that one time Kanye West got on the stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech and said that Beyonce deserved the award, or that one time Jim Morrison was arrested for allegedly exposing himself during a concert in Miami.
Rising music icons often become the s*x symbols of their generation. Artists like Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Madonna, Britney Spears, and Harry Styles, among others, have often been labeled that way by the media. Billy Ray Cyrus was no different.
When news broke out that he had married Cindy Smith, some of his female fans were not exactly happy to learn that they did not have a chance with the charming musician anymore. The consequence? A jealous fan set Smith’s hair on fire (via Entertainment Weekly). Cyrus’ first wife had to learn the hard way, that being the wife of a rising icon came with its downsides too.
Billy Ray Cyrus First Met Cindy Smith During His Early Gig Days
Some would think that an audience member having a romance with a country/pop star only happens in the books, or fanfiction. However, in his 2013 memoir Hillbilly Heart (via The List), Cyrus stated that he actually made it happen by marrying Smith. She was a regular audience member of the band Sly Dog’s gigs at an Irontown, Ohio bar, which made the Could’ve Been Me singer notice her.
The first night I remember seeing Cindy she was wearing a small halter top and very short shorts. With her sweet little face, greenish blue eyes, and that outfit, Cindy stood out among the crowd on the packed dance floor.
Eventually, Cyrus asked Smith out for dinner and she agreed. Three months into their relationship when the country star did not even properly know her maiden name, the two got married. Although it was all good in the beginning, it did not take the marriage to start showing cracks.
Cyrus was beginning to break out as a country star and his schedule was hectic. Smith was becoming increasingly impatient with his late-night returns home, not to mention the infidelity that her husband admitted to. Eventually, the inevitable happened and the two decided to separate. However, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cyrus claimed that they had an amicable relationship after the divorce.
