Billy Ray Cyrus ‘Won’t Ever Give Up’ Trying to Mend Relationship With Daughter Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus and dad Billy Ray Cyrus have been feuding for years after the pop superstar seemingly sided with mom Tish Cyrus amid their divorce . However, he’s going all out to change that, begging for one last chance to heal his achy breaky heart and restore peace to the family, a source exclusively tells Life & Style .

“Billy has been missing her like crazy,” the insider says of Miley, 31. “They’re not totally out of touch, but things are nothing like they used to be, and he really is desperate to change that.”

The source adds that Billy Ray, 62, is even “willing to apologize and make amends with Tish, too, if that’s what it takes.”

And though he felt “sad” that Miley and his other kids didn’t give his third wife, Firerose , “much of a chance,” he’s “willing to let that go because more than anything he wants to get the family back together and stop this horrible cold war they’ve been dealing with.” Billy Ray ultimately filed for annulment from Firerose, 34, on May 23, just seven months after they tied the knot.

“He reaches out to Miley all the time, but it’s hard for him to get her on the phone most days, which is very sad for him,” the source continues. “She will always be his little girl and he feels terrible that things have gotten to this place. He tries to stay positive, but it’s really weighing on him. Never in a million years did he think that they’d ever be in this situation.”

Still, the insider says Billy Ray hasn’t completely given up hope that his relationship with his second youngest daughter will be restored.

“He spends a lot of time looking at old photos with tears in his eyes and prays every day that things will get better,” the source concludes. “He’s said he won’t ever give up.”

Billy Ray publicly shared one of those memories via Instagram on June 7, sharing a photo of himself and a toddler-age Miley at CMA Fest “back when it was Fan Fair.”

“I’m incredibly proud of her. She’s a survivor and a true artist,” he wrote of his daughter. “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! Hope you all have a great Friday! Now rock the country!!!”

In addition to Miley, Billy Ray and Tish, 57, share kids Brandi , 37, Trace , 35, Braison , 30, and Noah , 24.

Though Miley has not publicly slammed her father, many fans speculated that she purposely snubbed him in her 2024 Grammys acceptance speech for Record of the Year by not including him. She thanked “everyone that’s standing on this stage right now, Tom, Tyler, Michael and Greg. Our teams, my team, Crush, Columbia, my mommy, my sister, my love, my main gays because look how good I look. … I don’t think I forgot anyone.”

Miley did give her father a rare shoutout during her June 12 appearance on David Letterman ’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction .

“My father — I’m grateful for being able to watch him ahead of me. He’s almost given me this map. There is a map of what to do and what not to do. And he’s guided me on both,” she said.