Posted on 04/17/2015 10:46:35 PM PDT by Clint N. Suhks
Tim McGraw is facing a backlash from country music fans who say that his decision to headline a concert for a gun control charity could end his career.
The Louisiana-raised singer is scheduled to raise money with a Hartford, Connecticut show on July 17 for the Sandy Hook Promise group, which organized in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in late 2012.
However, anti-gun control commenters have said that McGraw, 47, risks losing his career the same way female country trio the Dixie Chicks never bounced back from criticizing President George W Bush.
The conservator pro-gun blog Bearing Arms published a piece saying that McGraw's fan base 'overwhelmingly supports gun rights and views a concert benefiting Sandy Hook Promise as being a betrayal'.
It draws a parallel to the Dixie Chicks fall from the graces of country music's fold after singer Natalie Maines made disparaging remarks about Bush in the lead up to the Iraq War.
Commenters on the conservative blog Breitbart bemoaned a red state hero's turn towards the perceived liberal cause of gun control.
'Not real country singers in my book anyway,' AWRHawkins said.
'It is sadly apparent that these kinds of girly men are helping to destroy country music as we (used to) know it,' another, BloodofAlbion75, said. McGraw's opening act Bill Currington backed away from the project after backlash saying, 'I've never been one to take on controversial issues - I'm a singer.'
'I do feel strongly about honoring and supporting the Sandy Hook community and will be making a donation to a local organization,' he said on his Facebook page.
However, McGraw, the headliner, stood by his decision when speaking to the Washington Post.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Johnny Cash, Yeah. Country music became Rock n Roll with a southern/Texas accent through the 70s and 80s. I quit listening to it. I still have all my old Cash vinyl and a bunch of others, too. For music I am older than my years. I still think the best were Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Charlie Pride, Merle Haggard, etc. Then it all turned into noise and thump.
As a Newtown resident (not all of us are crazy gun-grabbers), I say to Tim McGraw - don’t do it.
So either he's incredibly ignorant & gullible or a closet gun-control supporter.
Also, all these years later, I still instantly change the channel when the Dixie Chicks come on. Though that happens less and less because to be honest, they don’t get a whole lot of airplay to begin with.
Perhaps the obama-lovin’ Brad Paisley could join McGraw
I thought everyone knew McGraw’s a company line leftist. He hasn’t been as much of an ass about it as Gwyneth Paltrow, but he doesn’t hide it.
Too true, appears like another case of someone wanting to be liked in the mainstream media and invited to the White House and Clinton fundraising barbeques to boost their career,
And while I don’t listen to country music and don’t know who this person is, now I know to pass on this guy regardless,
After spending years as a radio DJ, and playing in bands since I was 14, an old adage still holds true, “pop music is mostly about the ‘beat’, while country music is mostly about the ‘lyrics’”.
Today’s country “stars” - with a few notable exceptions (like George Strait) - are wannabe pop/rock stars who didn’t make it in that genre and switched over to (their version) of country. There so much competition, many have resorted to being “radical” and trying to “fit in” with the elite crowd.
After the 80’s, country music went to hell in a hand basket. I just don’t listen to it, nor do I bother watching the Country Music Awards shows.
So, I’m content with McGraw jeopardizing his ‘career’, as I’ll miss him bout as much as I missed the “Dixie Chicks”, which is none at all. I couldn’t name a single song either of them has recorded.
Tim is not country period. There’s been an awful murder down on music row.
Absolutely right. Why were rescue helicopters called away from Sandy Hook? Why were ambulances and emergency response teams from the hospitals CALLED OFF? Makes absolutely no sense at all.
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