Billy Ray Cyrus Breaks His Silence After Son Trace’s Public Plea

Billy Ray Cyrus is speaking out after his son Trace Cyrus posted a plea to the singer on Instagram last week.

Over the weekend, Billy Ray took to YouTube Shorts to share a clip from his 2009 music video “Somebody Said a Prayer,” which featured Trace.

Cyrus wrote in the description, “Sunday callin. Giving thanks for the California Rain . Praying for the brokenhearted and their pain. Praying for my family. For my children … sons and daughters…and their mother. Let this moment be the start of healing ❤️‍🩹 for us all. ‘The past does not equal the future.’ Amen 🙏🏼.”

Billy Ray made no mention of legal action, which Trace had posted about after his initial message to his father.

Saturday, Trace wrote, “Dad my message was beyond loving… for you to threaten me with legal action for wanting you to get help is a disgrace.”

He later added, “I will always love you but I no longer respect you as a man. Everyone close to you is terrified to tell you how they really feel. I’m not. Get help.”

Trace first shared a message to Billy Ray on Wednesday, after his dad struggled through a performance at Donald Trump’s Liberty Ball after the inauguration, which concluded with a raspy a cappella rendition of “Achy Breaky Heart.”

After the appearance, the elder Cyrus brushed it off. He wrote on Instagram, “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.”

Trace, however, said the star is unrecognizable.

He wrote, “Since my earliest memories all I can remember is being obsessed with you and thinking you were the coolest person ever. I wanted to be just like you. The day you adopted me was the happiest day of my life. Sadly the man that I wanted so desperately to be just like I barely recognize now. It seems this world has beaten you down and it’s become obvious to everyone but you.”

Trace, whose mother is Tish Cyrus, went on, “You may be upset with me for posting this but I really could care less at this point. Me and the girls have been genuinely worried about you for years but you’ve pushed all of us away. Noah desperately has wanted you to be a part of her life and you haven’t even been there for her. That’s your baby girl. She deserves better. Somehow just like me she still idolizes you though. We are all hanging on to memories of the man we once knew & hoping for the day he returns.”

“You’re not healthy Dad & everyone is noticing it. Just like I showed up for you at mamaws funeral when you didn’t expect me to I’m still here right now. As I write this with tears in my eyes I hope you realize this message only comes from a place of love and also fear that the world may lose you far too soon. I love you Dad. We haven’t talked in a while but I’m over a year and half clean from alcohol. Guess what? I feel amazing.. I don’t know what you’re struggling with exactly but I think I have a pretty good idea & I’d love to help you if you would open up and receive the help. You know how to reach me. Till that day comes I will continue to pray for you.”

Cyrus' other five children have not spoken out.

The Grammy winner adopted his ex-wife Tish’s children from a previous relationship, Trace and his sister Brandi, 36, while they were together. They went on to welcome Miley, 32, Braison, 30, and Noah, 25. 

The 63-year-old is also the father of Christopher, 32, with Kristin Luckey.

Miley did touch on her relationship with her dad in June 2024 during an episode of “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.”

She said, “I’m grateful for being able to watch him ahead of me. He's almost given me this map. There is a map of what to do and what not to do. And he's guided me on both."

Miley shared, “The way that my dad was raised, he grew up very poor, in a very small town. His parents were divorced when he was very young. My dad had a pretty rough childhood.”

On the other hand, Miley went on, “I had food, I had love, I grew up in a beautiful big house, and my dad didn’t have that. So, I have a lot of empathy and compassion for his childhood, which obviously developed to create the man that he is now that I have a lot of love for.”

At one point, Letterman commented, “There is not estrangement here with your father? It’s just kind of the way things are played.”

She replied, “Yeah, I think what is so beautiful is that my parents, they served their children… and sacrificed so much for us. Anything we dreamed of, they made possible.”