We all know Miley Cyrus has a great voice, but you might just be stunned hearing what she can do when she switches up her style to country. Miley teamed up with her dad Billy Ray Cyrus to sing a moving tribute to the late heartland rock legend Tom Petty on his ballad “Wildflowers.” Fans were blown away hearing what Miley delivered on the performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, as it was so clear that she was way more than just a pop star.
Miley performed the tribute to Petty shortly after his passing at age 66. The Tennessee star looked like a proper Southern belle in a flowing pink gown and took center stage with a smoky lead vocal while her dad played acoustic and sang backup. I know I don’t have to tell you how amazing they sounded together. Make sure to tune into the bridge, where Miley created a really special moment, asking, “Ready dad?” before singing a gorgeous vocal harmony with her papa.
At this point, it’s safe to say most fans are used to seeing Miley working in pop and rock formats. But hearing her take on a country tune and just how naturally she took up the style, you can almost imagine a parallel world where Miley became a huge country star in the vein of Dolly Parton. Miley grew up on her family’s farm outside Nashville, Tennessee, and, of course, she’s the daughter of country star Billy Ray, so it’s easy to see where she gets it from.
Miley and Billy Ray appeared on The Tonight Show on October 6, 2017, which was just four days after Tom Petty passed on October 2. Their duet on “Wildflowers” was quite the hit on YouTube, where it attracted 4.4 million views. Naturally, this isn’t the first time Miley has tried her hand at a country tune, as her live studio session cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” was also quite popular, attracting 473 million views.
Fans couldn’t get enough of Miley’s “Wildflower” cover and added comments such as “This girl can literally sing anything. I’ve listened to a few of her vids on here recently and the range she has is amazing – I’ve become a fan” and “I always love when Miley and Billy share the stage. Their bond is so beautiful.”
Tom Petty released “Wildflowers” as the opening track of his second solo studio album of the same name on November 1, 1994. Although the song was not officially released as a single, it became popular with fans at concerts and is one of his most streamed songs online to this day.
