Billy Ray Cyrus Recalls ‘Best Memories’ with Daughter Miley Cyrus at CMA Fest amid Rumored Family Rift

Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus attend the 2017 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 21, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. PHOTO: JOHN SHEARER/BBMA2017/GETTY

The country singer shared a sweet tribute post to his pop star daughter on Instagram amid ongoing family drama

Billy Ray Cyrus is getting into the CMA Fest spirit.

The country star, 62, found himself in a nostalgic mood on Friday, June 7, when he posted a throwback photo of him and his daughter, Miley Cyrus, on Instagram, recalling some of their “best memories” at the annual summer music event from when it was known as Fan Fair.

“One of my best memories ever: @cma Fest, back when it was Fan Fair. That’s @mileycyrus and me, surrounded by thousands of incredible fans at the fairgrounds,” wrote Billy Ray alongside a framed picture of a young him and baby Miley, now 31, and two handwritten notes.

“The next day, someone handed me this picture, and I wrote that poem right then on the bus,” he continued in the post, soundtracked to Miley’s “Flowers” hit, before giving her some praise. “I’m incredibly proud of her. She’s a survivor and a true artist. She learned early on to love and appreciate the fans who make everything possible.”

The “Achy Breaky Heart” singer added of the father-daughter duo, “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!!!”

Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus perform on the Pyramid stage on day five of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton in June 2019 in Glastonbury, England.IAN GAVAN/GETTY

Billy Ray’s sweet message to Miley comes amid family drama that allegedly began shortly after the latter’s mom, Tish Cyrus, filed for divorce from him in April 2022. Per court documents previously obtained by PEOPLE, she cited “irreconcilable differences” as the cause of the split and said that, at the time, the former couple — who share five children — had not lived together for over two years.

“It is after 30 years, five amazing children and a lifetime of memories, we have decided to go our separate ways — not with sadness, but with love in our hearts,” Billy Ray and Tish, 57, said in a joint statement issued via a family representative to PEOPLE. “We have grown up together, raised a family we can be so proud of, and it is now time to create our own paths.”

Seven months later, after Billy Ray announced his engagement to now-wife Firerose, the country singer told PEOPLE, “there’s no hard feelings” about his decision to move on from Tish. “Everyone knew that that relationship was over a long time ago,” he said of his ex-wife. “Everybody’s turning the page.”

From left: Tish Cyrus, Miley Cyrus and Brandi Cyrus attend the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.NEILSON BARNARD/GETTY IMAGES

Fast forward to August 2023, Tish also re-married when she tied the knot with husband and Prison Break star Dominic Purcell in a small Malibu ceremony. Only three of her children were part of the wedding ceremony — son Trace and her daughters Brandi and Miley, who served as bridesmaids — as her two youngest, Noah and Braison, were not present.

A source told PEOPLE in February that Noah, 24, has been “very loyal to Billy Ray” following his divorce from Tish, adding, “She and Billy Ray have always had a really close relationship.” A month later, another insider revealed that the singer was casually seeing Purcell, 54, before her mom married him, which may have contributed to the alleged ongoing drama.

“Noah and Dominic were seeing each other in a friends-with-benefits way, off and on,” the source claimed.

“They stopped seeing each other and then Tish started something up,” they continued, adding that “Tish knew he had been seeing Noah.”

Though the two stopped seeing each other when Purcell’s relationship with Tish began, the insider claimed that “Tish never gave Noah the chance to talk about all of this before they got married.”

In February, when Miley won her Grammy for record of the year, she noticeably omitted her dad from her acceptance speech at the ceremony, where she was accompanied by Tish and Brandi, 37. “I don’t think I forgot anyone,” she said after thanking her mom, sister and her “love” Maxx Morando. “But I might have forgotten underwear. Bye!”