Celebrating the inauguration of President Donald Trump

Billy Ray Cyrus is synonymous with country hits such as “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Old Town Road.” He probably never envisioned that this past Monday, his name would surface in connection with the Liberty Ball and for reasons likely not exactly the way he had in mind. The gala was part of the many events celebrating the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

The 63-year-old ever-energetic performer faced technical difficulties on stage. During the performance of “Old Town Road,” his guitar appeared to become disconnected, and things took a very different turn.

Yet despite this awkward technical fail, Cyrus didn’t retreat. Mid-song, he spoke to the audience humorously. “Check? Is anybody awake? Y’all want me. to sing more, or do you want me to just get the hell off the stage?”

But just as a backstage aide tried to resolve the situation, Cyrus managed to turn an awkward moment into a memorable one. He borrowed a trait often associated with President Trump’s dogged determination. “In life, when you have technical difficulties, you just gotta keep going, or as President Trump would say, ‘You gotta fight.” Cyrus said.

Unable to sort out the malfunction with his equipment, Cyrus took the matter into his hands. He launched into an a cappella version of “Achy Breaky Heart,” snapping his fingers and calling on the crowd to interact with him.

Though Cyrus was a trooper, it didn’t take long for the performance to go viral on social media. Whereas some fans jumped on the lightheartedness of the situation, others weren’t as sensitive with their comments. One X user described the moment as “possibly the cringiest few minutes in entertainment history,” while another referred to it as “a crime.”

However, Cyrus has taken it rather sportingly. In a statement to People magazine on Tuesday, he said,

“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.”

Cyrus emphasized that he was committed to the fans who attended the event. “I was there for the people, and we rocked and rolled. That’s called rock. n’ roll!!!”

Surprisingly, Cyrus wasn’t the only one who had trouble with their set during the inauguration. Earlier that day, country sensation Carrie Underwood had a problem with her set at Trump’s swearing-in.

As Underwood launched into “America the Beautiful,” when the instrumental track failed to play, she broke into an impromptu a cappella rendition of the song. The poised moment brought applause and admiration from the audience in attendance.

The night was a consistent reminder: one theme was the ability to adapt to whatever challenge. Both Cyrus and Underwood were professional and resilient in regards to turning what could have become disasters into memorable moments.

It may not have been exactly the performance Billy Ray Cyrus would have planned, but it showed how one can roll with the punches of uncontrollable happenings that could occur in live music. After all, as he said, “That’s called rock n’ roll.”

Anyway, the Liberty Ball performance would be a peculiar highlight of his career that testifies to his humor, flexibility, and devotion to the entertainment of his audience.

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