'American Pie' singer Don McLean pulls out of NRA convention Says his performance 'would be disrespectful and hurtful' after Texas school shooting

foxnews.com ^ | 5/25/2022 2035 hrs edt | wnd news service

[rktman]

"American Pie" singer Don McLean will not be performing at this year’s National Rifle Association convention in Houston Friday.

McLean told Fox News Digital his performance would be "disrespectful" and "hurtful" after the recent tragic events of the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead.

"In light of the recent events in Texas, I have decided it would be disrespectful and hurtful for me to perform for the NRA at their convention in Houston this week," McLean said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"I’m sure all the folks planning to attend this event are shocked and sickened by these events as well. After all, we are all Americans. I share the sorrow for this terrible, cruel loss with the rest of the nation," he concluded.

McLean was one of several performers set to take the stage at the annual NRA convention. Reps for Lee Greenwood and Larry Gatlin have confirmed to Fox News Digital they still plan to perform. A rep for Danielle Peck confirmed to Billboard she plans to perform as well.

[rktman]

Way to go 'dawn', you fookin' idjit. Does he believe the nra was somehow complicit in this travesty? And, the GUN LOBBY!!!! What a load of 🐴💩

[brownsfan]

Wow, a long ago has been is whining. I’m trying to care but it’s not working.

[x]

Maybe it’s about the timing. The fact that he was willing to play there at all makes him different from most in the entertainment world.

[dforest]

Obviously he was not willing to take the flak he would get by performing at an NRA gathering.

It is a shame, but he won’t be the first or the last person to fear the RAT smear machine.

Bye bye American Pie, Indeed!

[dangus]

Naw, I totally see what he means. It’s rather hard to separate the refrain, “the day the music died” from the current context. Give him credit for publicizing that he’d been going to go to the NRA, rather than hating on him for reasonably assessing that the meaning of his song would be transformed by the context.

[PghBaldy]

Oddly enough, the left just started hating the NRA and the Second Amendment.

[1Old Pro]

Maybe it’s about the timing. The fact that he was willing to play there at all makes him different from most in the entertainment world.

Agree, he gets a pass.

[teeman8r]

agree too. the NRA needs to acknowledge the tragedy, but not cancel the event. i believe after the last one the NRA offered free training to all educators.

[Not A Snowbird]

Really? Which NRA member pulled the trigger at the school?

[Guenevere]

Well aren’ you a fine example~

[OKSooner]

Ted will play.

[1Old Pro]

the NRA needs to acknowledge the tragedy, but not cancel the event. i believe after the last one the NRA offered free training to all educators.

They will be respectful.

[Cboldt]

-- ... he won't be the first or the last person to fear the RAT smear machine. --

Or he runs in circles that are rat infested, and doesn't want to harm that.

[Gen.Blather]

Bye.

[Rurudyne]

I would sing at the convention ... if I could sing.

[IYAS9YAS]

Or he runs in circles that are rat infested, and doesn't want to harm that.

While this is the first I've heard he was even playing at the event, it's likely that it was public information, so I don't think this would be a reason. The lefties would hate on him just for playing there.

[dforest]

Yep, that could pretty much be true.

[Magnum44]

Yep, seems like a personal decision, not a slap at NRA

[BitWielder1]

Why, did NRA shoot any of those kids?

Too bad there isn't a Fentanyl convention he could refuse to sing at. It would make more sense.

[RedMonqey]

He’s not making any friends on the left, they’ll hate him with equal vigor for just agreeing to play at the nra convention.
And upset anyone on the right as well.

Stick with your convictions and you won’t look like a sellout.