Billy Ray Cyrus Defends Liberty Inaugural Ball Performance

Similar to Carrie Underwood‘s performance on Inauguration Day, Billy Ray Cyrus‘ 12-minute stint onstage at President Trump’s Liberty Inaugural Ball Monday was plagued with technical difficulties. Following the televised show, Cyrus defended his decision to perform and responded to viewers critical of his performance.

“I wouldn’t have missed the honor of playing this event whether my microphone, guitar and monitors worked or not,” Cyrus wrote in an Instagram post Tuesday. “I was there because President Donald J. Trump invited me.”

With a muted microphone and guitar, a hoarse Cyrus attempted to sing both his verse and Lil Nas X‘s verse on “Old Town Road” at the post-inauguration ball in Washington, D.C. The country vet then began to roam the stage and snap his fingers to an a cappella rendition of his Nineties hit, “Achy Breaky Heart.”

“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,” he continued in his IG post. “I was there for the people and we had a blast. That’s called rock n roll!!!”

Since his performance, online users slammed the country artist calling the show a “train wreck” and an “epic disaster.” Cyrus referred to Underwood mid-performance, who had to sing without a prerecorded track after a technical error. “In life when you have technical difficulties you just gotta keep going or as President Trump would say ‘You gotta fight,’” Cyrus said.

On Sunday at the “Make America Great Again Victory Rally,” Kid Rock performed “All Summer Long” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” while the Village People performed “Y.M.C.A.” at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Country artists Jason Aldean, the Rascal Flatts, and Parker McCollum also performed in support of Donald Trump‘s Inauguration Day.