A hoarse-voiced Billy Ray Cyrus had his guitar "cut off" and was hit by a string of technical issues. Photo / Getty Images
A hoarse-voiced Billy Ray Cyrus had his guitar "cut off" and was hit by a string of technical issues. Photo / Getty Images
Billy Ray Cyrus was “cut off” and was hit by a string of technical issues during his performance at the Liberty Ball on January 20.
The 63-year-old singer took to the stage at the event, which celebrated the inauguration of United StatesPresidenthref="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/donald-trump/" target="_blank">Donald Trump, without a band, instead playing guitar along to a video of his and Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road and singing with an apparently hoarse voice.
After the video ended, he strummed more of the song and attempted an a capella version of the track, urging the audience to join in.
He said: “If you encourage me I’ll keep going. They told me to kill as much time as possible.”
But then his guitar cut out and he shouted: “Is my guitar still on? I think they cut me off.
A crew member eventually came out and fixed the sound. Photo / Getty Images
“Is my guitar on, guys? I don’t hear my guitar anymore. Is anybody awake? Where’s everybody at? Is anyone back there? Can somebody turn my guitar back on?”
Speaking to tech support, who were off stage, he added: “I don’t hear it? Do ya’ll hear it? Is anyone back there?
“Can somebody turn my guitar back on? We’re going to sing a bit more.”
But the instrument still didn’t work, so Cyrus asked the crowd if they wanted another song as he “didn’t give a damn” either way.
He said: “Y’all want me to sing more or you just want me to get the hell of the stage? I don’t give a damn.”
A crew member eventually came out and fixed the sound before Cyrus went on to note Carrie Underwood had also experienced technical difficulties at the inauguration ceremony earlier in the day, forcing her to sing America the Beautiful a capella when the backing track cut out.
He said: “Wasn’t Carrie Underwood fabulous? They had technical difficulties too. And in life, when you have technical difficulties, you just gotta keep going. Or as President Trump would say, ‘You gotta fight!’”
The country star then began singing his 1992 hit Achy Breaky Heart a capella but appeared to have outstayed his welcome as he ended up holding the microphone to his mouth with no sound, wandering in the dark with the stage lights going off around him.
He posted on Facebook: “Honoured to kick off the Liberty Ball at the request of our 47th President and Commander-in-Chief @realdonaldtrump. When you get knocked down, you get back up. You fight and persevere.”
