“I wouldn’t have missed the honor of playing this event whether my microphone, guitar and monitors worked or not,” Cyrus told PEOPLE exclusively. “I had a ball”
By Marina Watts is a Digital Writer, Music at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Bustle, The US Sun, Newsweek and OK! Magazine.
Published on January 21, 2025 01:49PM EST
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Billy Ray Cyrus‘ inauguration appearance caused some confusion — and concern.
On Monday, Jan. 20, the country singer, 63, took the stage to perform at the Liberty Ball, part of President Donald Trump‘s inaugural festivities.
After quietly performing his vocal portion of his and Lil Nas X’s 2019 hit “Old Town Road” while watching an onscreen video of the rapper, Cyrus went on to repeat his lyrics from the song in a monotone voice, asking the audience to sing with him as he wandered around the stage with no backing track.
Cyrus then appeared to face technical issues with his guitar and microphone as he set out to play his breakout 1992 hit “Achy Breaky Heart.”
While attempting to perform the song a cappella, he removed his microphone from its stand and walked around the stage snapping his fingers, speaking the lyrics rather than singing them.
“Check? Is anybody awake?” Cyrus asked at one point, looking backstage for assistance. “Y’all want me to sing more or you want me to just get the hell off the stage?” the singer quipped, adding: “In life, when you have technical difficulties, you just gotta keep going, or as President Trump would say, ‘You gotta fight.'”
“I wouldn’t have missed the honor of playing this event whether my microphone, guitar and monitors worked or not. I was there because President Donald J. Trump invited me,” Cyrus told PEOPLE exclusively in a statement on Jan. 22. “I had a ball at the Liberty Ball last night and I’ve learned through all these years when the producer says, ‘You’re on,’ you go entertain the folks even if the equipment goes to hell. I was there for the people and we had a blast. That’s called rock n roll!!!”
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The country star’s appearance at the Liberty Ball had viewers abuzz on social media.
“Sad to see Billy Ray so messed up at the Liberty Ball,” someone wrote on TikTok of the “Achy Breaky Heart” performance.
“Watching Billy Ray Cyrus tonight was heartbreaking,” one person wrote on X, while another deemed the appearance “an epic disaster.”
Another X user expressed concern, writing: “Billy Ray Cyrus performance is cringe-worthy. Legitimately Concerning.”
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Nelly, Jason Aldean, Gavin DeGraw, Lee Greenwood, Kid Rock and the Village People also performed throughout the inauguration events.
Cyrus’ inauguration appearance wasn’t the only performance mired by technical difficulties: Carrie Underwood had to perform her rendition of “America the Beautiful” a cappella, asking government leaders and inauguration attendees to sing along with her in the Capitol rotunda after her set was delayed following Trump’s swearing-in.