Billy Ray Cyrus was taken aback to hear of Canada's 1,200 missing and murdered aboriginal women Friday afternoon in Winnipeg.

Billy Ray Cyrus of "Achy Breaky Heart" fame arrived in Winnipeg Friday as part of the National Aboriginal Day celebrations at the Forks Saturday. (Bert Savard/CBC) The famous singer-songwriter arrived in Winnipeg today for this weekend's National Aboriginal Day.

At a press conference Cyrus was asked about the country's missing aboriginal women.

“I am just sitting here shocked right now to even hear that number, more than 1,200 missing aboriginal women? That just sounds … I’m in shock," he said. "I think that needs to be addressed and maybe that’s part of why I am here."

A media person asked Cyrus, given his Cherokee heritage, what the most pressing issue was facing First Nations today.

“For me it’s the 1,200 missing aboriginal women," he said. "Again, that I just hear that right now ... you don’t see that on CNN or Fox, but it needs to be there.”

Cyrus is headlining a show at the Forks Saturday that will be broadcast live by APTN television and radio.