Billy Ray Cyrus: Performing for All Presidents, Despite Criticism

0:00It's April 17th, entertainment and celebrity news. Today starts now, AI-powered and spotlight ready. I'm Cory with the story. Billy Ray Cyrus says he performs for any U.S. president, no matter the party. He credits that mindset to his late dad, Ron Cyrus, a Democrat who served 11 terms in the Kentucky House. Ron told him when the president calls, you step up. So Billy Ray has sung for Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Bush and Donald Trump. His latest gig was at Donald Trump's inauguration gala, the Liberty Ball. Things went sideways with tech glitches. For his remix of Old Town Road, he mostly watched the video on big screens and mumbled along too soft to hear. Then his electric guitar wasn't plugged in right, so he switched to acapella on Aiki Breaky Heart. Fans online roasted the set hard, calling it some of the cringiest moments in showbiz. Critics slammed him for playing a Trump's event, saying it backs the guy's tough policies.

1:02But others jumped in to defend, arguing artists should skip politics and just do their thing. The next day, Cyrus clapped back in a statement to People magazine. He called it an honor from Trump and said he wouldn't miss it, gear working or not. Pros go on stage to entertain the crowd, even when everything falls apart. That's rock and roll. In the end, Cyrus keeps praying for the country, the president and the world. Being in that job is no joke, and he's staying true to his roots across the aisle.