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Billy Ray Cyrus<\/a>\u00a0side-stepped a question about his personal political views during a recent conversation with U.K. publication\u00a0Sky News<\/a><\/em>, but he did explain why he’s performed for or worked with presidents on\u00a0both sides of the aisle.<\/p>\n The “Achy Breaky Heart” star says his reason for supporting the president \u2014 any president \u2014 is simple. His father, a Democratic politician who served 11 consecutive terms in the Kentucky House of Representatives, taught him that it was the right thing to do.<\/p>\n “My dad always said, ‘When the president asks you to do something, you do it, son,'” Cyrus explains.<\/p>\n That’s why he’s worked with a number of different presidents, including “Bill Clinton, President Obama, Mr. Bush, Mr. Bush’s dad and Mr. Trump.”<\/p>\n “Being president’s a tough job,” the singer goes on to say. “I pray for our country, I pray for our president and I pray for our world.”<\/p>\n In 2025, Cyrus performed as part of the festivities for Trump’s second inauguration. There’s no polite way to put it: His set went off the rails<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read More<\/em>: Fans Baffled by Billy Ray Cyrus’ ‘Trainwreck’ Inauguration Fiasco<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n On social media, the kindest reactions blamed technical difficulties, and Cyrus\u00a0implied the same in a statement<\/a>, where he also said that the important part of his performance was celebrating the occasion.<\/p>\n But others speculated that Cyrus might have been inebriated, or at the very least going through some sort of crisis, during his performance.<\/p>\n Among those was the singer’s son Trace Cyrus, who penned an emotional open letter on social media<\/a> suggesting that his dad could be struggling with some form of addiction.<\/p>\n Cyrus didn’t directly address those accusations, though Trace claims he threatened “legal action”<\/a> and Cyrus shared messages of hope<\/a> for a more peaceful future in the family.<\/p>\n In his newest interview with\u00a0Sky News<\/em>, Cyrus did briefly speak to the tumult and healing the Cyrus family has been through.<\/p>\n Read More<\/em>: Miley Cyrus Wrote a New Song As a ‘Peace Offering’ For Dad Billy Ray<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n He also said that he “used to drink a lot back in the day,” but that he stopped\u00a0using\u00a0alcohol in the early ’90s and hasn’t had a drink since.<\/p>\n “In 1992, right before [releasing ‘Achy Breaky Heart,’] I heard a voice telling me I had to stop drinking, and I just stopped cold turkey,” Cyrus recounted. “…It was like…’You gotta get ready, because this is now the purpose of your life, to bring people together through music.'”<\/p>\n 15 country songs have passed one billion streams on Spotify, which is a few more than you may have thought. Find each one below, ranked in order of lowest to highest stream totals.<\/p>\n Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBilly Ray Cyrus Performed at Trump’s 2025 Inauguration Ball \u2014 And It Was a Disaster<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Billy Ray Cyrus Says He Stopped Drinking in the Early 1990s<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Most-Streamed Country Songs – 15 Hits With One Billion Plays On Spotify<\/h2>\n