A chaotic inaugural performance by Billy Ray Cyrus at the Liberty Ball has sparked widespread concern and confusion, with the country star defending his appearance amid technical difficulties that left him speaking rather than singing his iconic hits. The 63-year-old singer’s Jan. 20 performance at President Donald Trump’s inaugural festivities quickly descended into disarray.
The troubles began during his rendition of “Old Town Road,” where Cyrus delivered his portion while watching a video of collaborator Lil Nas X, before devolving into a monotone repetition of lyrics without musical accompaniment. The situation deteriorated further when Cyrus attempted to perform his signature 1992 hit “Achy Breaky Heart.” Faced with apparent equipment malfunctions, the singer resorted to walking around the stage snapping his fingers and speaking the lyrics rather than singing them.
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“Hey, is my guitar still on? I think they cut me off. Is my guitar on, guys? I don’t hear my guitar anymore,” Cyrus asked during the performance, before addressing the crew with, “Is anybody awake?”
The awkward moments continued as Cyrus attempted to salvage the situation, addressing the audience directly: “Y’all want me to sing more or you want me to just get the hell off the stage?” He then added, “In life, when you have technical difficulties, you just gotta keep going, or as President Trump would say, ‘You gotta fight.’”
Social media reaction was swift and unforgiving. “Sad to see Billy Ray so messed up at the Liberty Ball,” one viewer posted on TikTok, while X users described the performance as both “heartbreaking” and “an epic disaster.”
However, Cyrus defended his performance in an exclusive statement to People on January 22: “I wouldn’t have missed the honor of playing this event whether my microphone, guitar and monitors worked or not. 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!!!”
Cyrus elaborated on the technical issues in a Jan. 21 Instagram post, reiterating his commitment to performing despite the equipment malfunction. The singer emphasized his dedication to entertaining the audience regardless of technical challenges.
The event, which featured performances by other artists including Nelly, Jason Aldean, Gavin DeGraw, Lee Greenwood, Kid Rock, and the Village People, was not without other technical mishaps. People reports that Carrie Underwood also faced difficulties, having to perform “America the Beautiful” a cappella in the Capitol rotunda after her set was delayed following the presidential swearing-in.
