Nashville Star host Cyrus talks about daughter Miley

By Stone Martindale May 27, 2008, 13:46 GMT

01/17/2008 - Billy Ray Cyrus - "Hanna Montana and Miley Cyrus - Best of Both Worlds Concert" World Premiere - Arrivals - El Capitan Theatre - Hollywood, CA © Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

"Nashville Star" host Billy Ray Cyrus who spoke candidly about his upcoming reality show competition and daughter Miley. Extra joined Cyrus at a photo shoot with the Nashville Star top 12 finalists who will be unveiled on the premiere episode on June 9th.

When asked by Extra how his own experience will add to the Nashville Star season, Cyrus responded, “I think the one thing that is going to help me the most with the young people as a mentor is the fact that I’ve been to the fair. I’ve seen the bear. I’ve walked this town carrying my guitar and satchel full of dreams and songs. I’ve done that knock on the door of rejection many, many times and often look back at how long it took me to get that first record deal.”

Also, Cyrus revealed advice he gives to his own daughter, Miley, regarding dealing with the press.

He said, “The thing you got to look at in life, whether you’re an entertainer or whether you’re a farmer - Whatever you do in life, there’s going to be peaks and valleys.

There’s going to be up’s and down’s. I think one of the things my dad taught me and hopefully I instilled in Miley, is that when you get knocked down, you got to get back up because it’s not going to do any good to lie on the ground and cry about it.” He added, “I think she has a lot to be proud of. I think the positive far outweigh the negative.”

As for Miley, Cyrus continued, “Miley really is undeniable Miley. She’s just a very real, young lady that pursued her dream through hard preparation and study of being an actress and made herself ready for her chance. And that chance revealed itself through Hannah Montana.” He said, “She’s still that same kid, but she’s still in that transition of becoming a young lady.

Cyrus, who is filming the upcoming Hannah Montana movie in Tennessee, admitted that as Miley gets older, she is growing as a young actress.

He said, “She’s going through, in her real life, what’s actually going on in the movie [Hannah Montana]. She’s finding who she really is and what she’s all about and why she began this dream. And why she loved the dream in the first place.”

Nashville Star host Cyrus revealed that a song on his upcoming album, Back to Tennessee, is about Miley saying, “I wrote it [song] for Miley and we ended up doing duet. It’s called “Ready, Set, Don’t go.” It’s a song about a daddy watching his little girl grow up and realizing it’s time to let go.

Nashville Star hosted by Billy Ray Cyrus premieres on June 9th on NBC.

For more with Billy Ray Cyrus, tune in to “Extra” on Tuesday, May 27th -log onto here