MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Miley Cyrus touched down in the land of the Delta Blues — in the middle of the pouring rain, no less — as she joined Marc Cohn onstage Saturday night for a performance of his hit “Walking in Memphis” at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis’ Tom Lee Park.
Cyrus performed for about 20 minutes to a rain-soaked but enthusiastic audience.
The Tennessee singer was added to the Music Fest bill by Facebook, which is partnering with Memphis in May as a sponsor of this year’s festival as they promote the company’s new #MoreTogether campaign.
“It’s [Beale St Music Festival] such an iconic festival that I think is just a patchwork of different styles and genres, so it couldn’t be a more perfect place for Facebook to launch this More Together campaign; it’s perfect timing,” Cyrus said in a statement released by Facebook.
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“The music that came out of Memphis moved and inspired me, as well as countless others,” Cohn said in a statement. “‘Walking in Memphis’ is an homage to the healing power of music, and to the rich and soulful heritage of a great American city. Performing here today with Miley to celebrate the launch of Facebook’s new campaign #MoreTogether was an incredible experience and shows the power of music to bring people together.”
Sunday marks the final day of Beale Street Music Festival, and organizers say it’s a sellout with headliners Gary Clark Jr., Joe Louis Walker, Cardi B, and The Killers.
The next big Memphis in May event will be the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, May 15-18.