Billy Ray Cyrus Releases New CD, Time Flies

 

Mary Morningstar

It's been 11 years since Billy Ray Cyrus earned worldwide attention with his breakthrough single, Achy Breaky Heart. Since 1992, the 41-year-old country singer has recorded six albums, and has also become a respected actor. Now, as we hear from VOA's Mary Morningstar, Billy Ray Cyrus has a new album, Time Flies.

Time Flies marks his first album in four years. It lays to rest persistent¹ rumors³ that the singer walked away from the music business due to country radio's lack of support behind his 1999 album, Southern Rain.
Billy Ray grew up in Flatwoods, Kentucky, near the point of the Ohio River where Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio meet. As a teenager, he listened to everyone from Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynard and British rock group Led Zeppelin to country legends like Bill Monroe and Hank Williams.
After gaining a regional reputation with his band, Sly Dog, Billy Ray headed to Los Angeles in 1984, to try his luck as a professional singer. The attempt failed, and he returned to Kentucky. Two years later, he and his band began making frequent trips to Nashville, where he made connections with people in the Country music industry. One of those he met was Grand Ole Opry star Del Reeves, who arranged some demo sessions for Billy Ray, and introduced him to artist manager Jack⁴ McFadden. He was signed to Mercury Records in 1990. In 1992, Billy Ray became an international superstar with his debut⁵ single, Achy Breaky Heart.
He parted with Mercury Records in 1999, and during the past three years, Billy Ray focused on his acting⁶ career. He stars in the cable television series Doc. Billy Ray plays Dr. Clint Cassidy, a country physician from Montana, who moves to New York City to be closer to his love interest.
Billy Ray was signed to Sony Music for the release of his new CD. But record company politics, including a lawsuit⁷ filed against the label by the Dixie Chicks, held up its release. The album was finally issued last month.
Billy Ray wrote or co-wrote seven of the tracks on Time Flies. He says some of the songs reflect a darker mood brought on by the September 11, 2001, attacks on America. And although the album's release was delayed, he feels the crisis in Iraq has made the collection even more timely.
Billy Ray will spend the next few months promoting Time Flies on a North American concert tour. Then, in mid-September, he'll begin production of the fourth season of Doc. The first three seasons were filmed in Toronto, Canada, but Billy Ray hopes production will be moved to Tennessee so he can be closer to his wife and six children. As if Billy Ray's schedule isn't busy enough, he'll soon have an inspirational CD out on Word Records, and he has a few motion pictures in the works.
注释：
Billy Ray Cyrus 比利·瑞·赛洛斯（美国著名的乡村音乐歌手）
breakthrough [5breik5Wru:] n. 突破
lay [lei] vt. 平息
rest [rest] vt. 使平静
rumor² [5ru:mE] n. 流言
Flatwoods弗拉特伍兹
Kentucky [ken5tQki] n. 肯塔基州
Ohio [Eu5haiEu] n. 俄亥俄州
Virginia [vE(:)5dVinjE] n. 维吉尼亚
country legend 乡村歌谣
regional [5ri:dVEn(E)l] adj. 地域性地
reputation [7repju(:)5teiFEn] n. 名誉
sly [slai] adj. 狡猾的
frequent [5fri:kwEnt] adj. 频繁的
Grand Ole Opry "大狂欢节目"（美国专门播放乡村音乐与节目的娱乐机构）
demo [5demEu] n. 样本唱片
session [5seFEn] n. 一段录音
debut [5deIbju:] n. 初次登场
focus on 集中
series [5siEri:z] n. 连续剧
physician [fi5ziFEn] n. 医师
Montana [mCn5tAnE] n. 蒙大纳州
love interest 情人
lawsuit [5lC:sju:t] n. 诉讼（尤指非刑事案件）
track [trAk] n. 音轨，这里指代录制的歌曲
mood [mu:d] n. 心情
bring on 引起
promote [prE5mEut] vt. 完善
Tennessee [7tene5si:] n. 田纳西州
inspirational [9InspE5reIFEnEl] adj. 给予灵感的

1 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

2 rumor   

n.谣言，谣传，传说

参考例句：

• The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
• The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。

3 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

5 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

6 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

7 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。