Which celebrity made the "mullet" famous first ?

Question

Bono claims this...what do you think?

I honestly think Bono had a mullet before Billy Ray Cyrus. But, David Bowie was probably first.

Answer 1

The mullet's origins are shrouded in mystery. Urban legends have it dating back to 19th Century fishermen, who wore their hair long in the back to keep warm — hence the term mullet. The Notes section of the Viking edition of Lydia Davis's translation of Swann's Way by Proust states "Jean Baptiste Prosper Bressant was a well-known actor who introduced a new hairstyle, which consisted of wearing the hair in a crew cut in front and longer in the back."

The mullet became popular in the 1970s, due in part to the influence of English glam rock artist David Bowie, who wore the haircut during his Ziggy Stardust and Diamond Dogs phases. Women also wore the style--Florence Henderson, a star of the sitcom The Brady Bunch, has a mullet in the opening sequence from the show's 1973-1974 season. The hairstyle achieved further popularity in the late 1970s and 1980s among entertainers with receding hairlines such as Anthony Geary of "Luke and Laura" fame from the soap opera General Hospital and the singer Michael Bolton.

In the 1980s, the mullet became big and bouffant, and bemulleted men often indulged in other 1980s hair crazes such as spiked hair and blonde highlights. In the early 1990s, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus's "Achy Breaky" mullet fostered both imitation and ridicule.

Answer 2

Ratboy seems to have a pretty good take on the history of the Mullet from Wikipedia however I recall that hairstyle becoming popular in the early 80's with Yuppie males, most of whom had, in the 70's, been "long haired Hippies". By the early 80's they found themselves out in the workplace with shiny new degress and a sudden need to earn a decent living. Not wishing to part with long hair completely but still needing to look somewhat "business presentable" the style currently called a Mullet gained popularity as a compromise style. I have no idea where the name came from nor how this style came to be associated with Rednecks (especially given it's Yuppie origins).

Answer 3

The first celebrity I recall wearing the infamous Mullet is David Bowie

Answer 4

How about Billy Ray Cyrus?

Answer 5

Bad rock bands from the 70's. In the south it seems the longer the mullet the greater the prestige.

Answer 6

What about Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch? (around 1970/71)

Answer 7

billy ray cyrus

Answer 8

BILLY RAY CYRUS! " i want my mullet back"