Billy Ray Cyrus Opens Up About Miley's Engagment and New 'Do

Posted Sep 10th 2012 12:45PM by Erin Duvall
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Billy Ray Cyrus performed his new single "Change My Mind" on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" last week, and chatted with the show's host about his family and upcoming Broadway debut. (Watch the interview below.) The singer-songwriter talked about his daughter, Miley Cyrus, and her engagement to "The Hunger Games" actor Liam Hemsworth, revealing that his future son-in-law asked for permission to marry his famous daughter.

"[He] Begged me. He came several times. Third time I said, 'Yeah, sure,'" Billy Ray deadpanned. "No, I said 'yeah' right off the bat ... We all love Liam. He's a great young man. He did ask."

Jay then asked about how this proud papa felt about his 19-year-old daughter tying the knot. "She's pretty young, yeah, but ya know what? She's happy," he explained. "It's good to see her happy. That's what I care most about."

Another hot topic in regards to his daughter has been her new bleach blond, not-quite-buzz cut. "I think she's beautiful," Billy Rays says of Miley's daring new 'do. "She did come to me afterwards and asked me if I had any tips, so I tinkered around with it. I may have something ..."

That comment prompted an altered photo of Miley to flash up on the screen, showing his beloved daughter with a blond mullet. (Billy Ray, of course, had an infamous mullet back in the '80s and '90s.)

The singer-actor also talked about his next adventure, playing Billy Flynn in the Broadway production of "Chicago." "I felt like it would be a great challenge and a great opportunity to become a better actor and learn more," he explained. "At my age, I thought that I had done everything at least once, but I have never been on Broadway, so I'm excited to be in 'Chicago.'"

Watch Billy Ray Cyrus on 'The Tonight Show'