Lawyering up? C’mon Billy Ray…
Last week, country music legend Billy Ray Cyrus left fans confused and concerned after the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer delivered a very strange performance at the Liberty Ball on Monday night to celebrate President Donald Trump’s inauguration. The various inaugural balls included performances from acts like Jason Aldean, Parker McCollum, Gavin DeGraw, Nelly, The Village People and more, in addition to Carrie Underwood’s stellar “America The Beautiful” performance earlier that day.
And while everyone else showed up and delivered, Billy Ray had fans fearing for his life.
The day before the event, the internet was shocked when Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn shared a photo of herself with Billy Ray, who looked almost unrecognizable (and a lot like Rob Zombie).
I’m here at the Capital One Arena with @billyraycyrus for the MAGA Victory Rally! pic.twitter.com/9k0Am7W2o0
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) January 19, 2025
When Billy Ray took the stage at the inaugural ball Monday night for a performance that was widely criticized as a “trainwreck,” and left viewers scratching their heads.
Billy Ray was clearly lip synching during much of the performance, but even when he was trying to sing live, his voice was completely unrecognizable. And then it appeared that his equipment malfunctioned, and he began ranting at the tech staff backstage:
“Is my guitar still on? I think they cut me off. Is my guitar on damn it? I don’t hear my guitar anymore. Check. Is anybody awake? I don’t hear it, do y’all hear this? Where’s everybody at. Check. Is anyone back there? Can somebody turn my guitar back on? We’re gonna sing a little bit more. Y’all wanna sing more or you want me to just get the hell off the stage? I don’t give a damn.”
He then decided to just perform “Achy Breaky Heart” acapella, and it was… pretty awful.
The performance ended with Billy Ray awkwardly meandering around the stage in the dark and waving at the crowd as his song “Could’ve Been Me” played. Staff finally came out and told him to get off the stage.
After the strange performance, people quickly began wondering whether Billy Ray was drunk or on drugs, but the singer released a statement calling it “rock and roll” and blamed the issues on technical difficulties:
“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 and roll!”
However, it didn’t take long for his son to join the rest of his fans and publicly call for him to get some help
In an Instagram post, Billy Ray’s son Trace Cyrus shared a heartfelt and emotional open letter to his father begging him to get help. He said he barely recognizes the man who adopted him, the man who is his hero.
Trace, who is the son of Billy Ray’s ex-wife Tish Cyrus, said that the singer has pushed his family away as they’ve been “genuinely worried” about him for years, and says that everyone seems to recognize that he needs help except for Billy Ray himself. He ends by assuring his father that his message comes only from a place of love, and offering to help him through his struggles as he begs him to reach out:
“Since my earliest memories all I can remember is being obsessed with you and thinking you were the coolest person ever. I wanted to be just like you. The day you adopted me was the happiest day of my life.
Sadly the man that I wanted so desperately to be just like I barely recognize now. It seems this world has beaten you down and it’s become obvious to everyone but you. You may be upset with me for posting this but I really could care less at this point. Me and the girls have been genuinely worried about you for years but you’ve pushed all of us away. Noah desperately has wanted you to be a part of her life and you haven’t even been there for her. That’s your baby girl. She deserves better. Somehow just like me she still idolizes you though.
We are all hanging on to memories of the man we once knew & hoping for the day he returns. You’re not healthy Dad & everyone is noticing it. Just like I showed up for you at mamaw’s funeral when you didn’t expect me to I’m still here right now.
As I write this with tears in my eyes I hope you realize this message only comes from a place of love and also fear that the world may lose you far too soon. I love you Dad.
We haven’t talked in a while but I’m over a year and half clean from alcohol. Guess what? I feel amazing.. I don’t know what you’re struggling with exactly but I think I have a pretty good idea & I’d love to help you if you would open up and receive the help. You know how to reach me. Till that day comes I will continue to pray for you. Billy Ray Cyrus”
Man, that’s tough to read… if there is anyone who could get through to Billy Ray, you think it would be family, but apparently that hasn’t been the case. In fact, it sounds like Billy made a phone call to his lawyer, and not his son, after the emotional Instagram post.
In a follow up Instagram story, Trace says his dad threatened him with “legal action” over the note:
“Dad my message was beyond loving. I could have been extremely honest about a lot more but I don’t want to put your business out there like that. But for you to threaten me with legal action for wanting you to get help is a disgrace. Pappy is looking down at you with such disappointment I can assure you. You should be ashamed of yourself. I will always love you but I no longer respect you as a man. Everyone close to you is terrified to tell you how they really feel. I’m not. Get help.”
Obviously, Billy Ray has been through some personal struggles over the past year or so, with his messy – and very public – divorce from Australian singer Firerose, who accused the singer of abuse and released audio of Billy Ray Cyrus berating her and calling his daughter Miley Cyrus “the devil” and a “skank.”
It seems that since divorcing his wife Tish back in 2022, Billy Ray has become estranged from much of his family – but they’re begging the singer to let them back in to his life so they can get him the help he needs. Well, at least Trace and Noah seem to be trying to save him. His ex-wife Firerose also spoke on the situation, saying that she was “glad the truth is coming to light.”
Hopefully, Billy Ray can get the help that he so desperately needs.
