Billy Ray Cyrus Addresses “Bizarre” Inauguration Performance For The Second Time: “You Just Had To Be There”
on Jan 22, 2025
Two days after his now-viral inaugural ball appearance, Billy Ray Cyrus has issued a second statement about his “bizarre” performance.
Billy Ray Cyrus was one of numerous country acts invited to perform at Monday’s presidential inauguration festivities. Cyrus was one of the headlining performers at the Liberty Ball, one of three attended by President Trump and his family after he took the oath of office.
But, Cyrus’s performance didn’t go exactly as planned. Live stream of the event and video captured by attendees show the singer having guitar issues before he went rogue and started singing a cappella.
RELATED: BILLY RAY CYRUS’ INAUGURAL BALL PERFORMANCE CUT SHORT – WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?
Unlike his country counterpart Carrie Underwood’s a cappella rendition of “America The Beautiful” earlier in the day, Billy Ray’s didn’t go as well. His hoarse voice and odd movements on stage led fans to be concerned for him.
The following day, Cyrus issued a statement on social media blaming faulty equipment for his performance. He also said that he was there for the people and because President Trump had invited him.
“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. 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!!!”
Billy Ray Cyrus issued a second statement about his inauguration ball performance on Wednesday.
A brief post made to social media on Wednesday included a video clip and what fans think is a subtle message that something more was going on.
“This was the most fun part of the Liberty Ball! And if you didn’t see it… you just had to be there,” he wrote, adding a lyric from “Achy Breaky Heart,” his chart-topping hit from 1992. “I just don’t think you understand.”
Billy Ray disabled comments on his own social media accounts, leaving fans with more questions than answers about his unusually odd performance.
Watch Billy Ray Cyrus’s inaugural ball performance in full in the video below.
