Billy Ray Cyrus opens up about sobriety, work and divorce from Tish Cyrus

• Billy Ray Cyrus says he quit drinking in 1992 after landing a record deal
• He calls himself "the most sober person in the world" in a new interview
• Cyrus reflects on his divorce from Tish Cyrus and fear of change

Billy Ray Cyrus has spoken candidly about his return to work, his sobriety and the end of his marriage to Tish Cyrus, describing a period of personal and professional reflection that he says has reshaped his outlook.

The 64-year-old country singer sat down with PEOPLE for the publication's latest cover story, addressing his past struggles with alcohol and what finally pushed him to stop.

Back on the ride

Cyrus described a lengthy stretch away from the music industry before recently finding his footing again. "I had entered a period where I hadn't worked for a really long time," he told PEOPLE. "And then I realized today, I said, 'Cyrus, you're working now, man. Be careful what you ask for. You said you wanted to get on the ride? Well, here you go.'"

Sobriety since 1992

On the subject of alcohol, Cyrus was characteristically direct. "I am the most sober person in the world," he said. He traced his decision to quit back more than three decades, recalling the moment a record deal finally came through after years of rejection. "I did drink a lot until 1992, and I just quit. After 10 years of failure and being told no, I finally got a record deal, and that inner voice said, 'This is going to happen, but you have to stop drinking.' So I just stopped."

Divorce and fear of change

Reflecting on his divorce from Tish Cyrus, the singer acknowledged that resistance to change had played a role in prolonging difficult circumstances. "Sometimes change is scary, and I'll keep doing the wrong thing for a long time because I'm scared of change," he said. He added: "I'm going to do this,' then that's the way it is. No looking back. I think that's maybe sometimes good for everyone — to just let go."