Singer Billy Ray Cyrus was overcome with emotion on U.S. TV as he discussed his heartbreak over losing his dad.
The Achy Breaky Heart hitmaker's father Ron passed away in 2006 after losing his battle with lung cancer.
In a candid interview with CNN newsman Piers Morgan, which aired on Tuesday (12Jul11), Cyrus admits he was plunged back into mourning on Sunday (10Jul11) - the day his dad would have turned 76.
Cyrus' voice broke as he told Morgan, "Yesterday was my dad's birthday. He passed away about five years ago... I kind of want to say that the day that he passed away was one of the worst days of my life but, quite frankly, even yesterday, knowing it was his birthday, was kind of reliving it all again.
"I still miss him a great deal. He was a great friend to me, a great dad. As a matter of fact, I try to model myself as a parent after my dad.
"He had a real love of music and he had a love of people and I find a lot of that is a whole lot of who I am today."