Benjamin Franklin won the American Revolution with one. George Clooney became a TV star with one in the 1980s. Billy Ray Cyrus sported one in his country music video "Achy Breaky Heart" in the 90s.
But it took the Beastie Boys' 1994 song "Mullet Head" to give the over the ears and down the neck haircut its name.
Now, a 9-year-old boy from Windcrest — Avery Quiroz — hopes his flowing mullet has the locks it takes to win the USA Mullet Championships, currently underway.
"I’ve had this mullet going for two years now," Avery said, as quoted at MulletChamp.com.
"I was inspired by my uncle that I look up to. It looks awesome when I wear my baseball cap on the field and it flows in the wind," he said. "Many love it and some hate it, but truth is they wish they can grow hair like this!"
"It’s not fashion; it’s a lifestyle!" he added.
Avery called his mullet "The Texas Waterfall."
He has advanced to the second round but hoped to reach the third and final round in the kids ages 8-through-12 competition to potentially win it all. He ranked 12th out of 221 contestants as of Thursday afternoon.
Votes and donations on Avery's behalf to the JAH4WW Foundation will benefit Jared Allen Homes for Wounded Warriors.
Both votes and donations can be made at MulletChamp.com.
Voting in round two continues until July 30.
Avery wants to advance to round three and be judged by celebrities for his hair, right out of the David Spade movie Joe Dirt.
The kids' winner can walk away with $5,000 and a custom championship belt. Avery could do it with the support of online voters and donors here in "Military Town USA."
Winners in all age groups will be announced on Aug. 28.
The JAH4WW Foundation was founded in 2009 by Jared Allen, a former NFL All-Pro defensive end.
